Issuu

Issue 32 Volume 37

Celebrating 36 Years!

vancouver pride p. 15

ask michael p. 18

latino film fest p. 25

Seattle Gay News

FRIDAY August 7, 2009 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands

SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

LGBT teen center Ed Murray comments; Ref. 71 attacked in Tel Aviv signature count, week two courtesy 365gay.com

by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer

After the Referendum 71 sponsors turned in 137,689 signatures July 25, the formal count to verify them began immediately. So did a giant guessing game. Do they have the signatures they need? How many are valid? Amid the counting, the Washington Secretary of State’s office has been transparent in their release of information, and some of Washington’s higher-ups have already weighed in on possible outcomes.

Vote yes on Ref. 71

ED MURRAY COMMENTS “The current rate of invalid signatures reported by the Secretary of State’s office in the R-71 signaTel Aviv youth being treated after shooting attack August 1 ture count gives me great hope that by Shaun Knittel appeared quietly in the small base- the referendum won’t make the ment room about 10:40 p.m. dur- ballot,” said Senator Ed Murray in ballot. R-71 asks the voters to apSGN Staff Writer ing a weekly gathering of LGBT a statement released August 6. prove or disapprove of Senate Bill 5688, which grants registered In what activists are calling “Is- teens. According to a witness, the same-sex domestic partners the rael’s deadliest crime again ho- teens were listening to music and NUMBER CRUNCHING mosexuals,” a masked gunman sharing their experiences with Late last week, the Secretary same rights and responsibilities slipped into a community center discrimination when the gunman of State’s office completed a raw as married couples in Washington for Gay teenagers in Tel Aviv on opened fire. count of the voter signatures that State. The bill would have taken “I thought it was a joke at first, were submitted by sponsors of effect July 26, but is now on hold August 1 and sprayed the room with automatic M16 rifle fire, kill- but he immediately opened fire,” R-71. The numbers stood at 14 while the R-71 signature-by-siging three people and wounding at percent more than the minimum nature check is pending. Since the beginning of the verileast 10 others. needed to place the domestic The gunman, dressed in all black, see tel aviv page 19 partnership law on the November fying process, both sides of the

R-71 issue have sent observation teams to Olympia. “The verification process is a governed part of the referendum process,” said Josh Friedes, Washington Families Standing Together campaign manager. “We’ve had a wonderful team of volunteers who’ve been trained by our incredible volunteer leadership team, led see Referendum 71 page 20

July 24 Capitol Hill street Candidate David Bloom attack, victim asking questions

SGN exclusive file photo

ey!” he says with a smile. “I talk to people – working people – who are worried about keeping their jobs, or they may have lost their jobs, they may have lost their homes. They can’t give me $700. Our challenge is to raise the money we need to stay competitive.” “Sally is defining herself as the Downtown business candidate,” Bloom continues. “The core of her support is there: The Alki Foundation. The General Contractors Association. The Realtors Association.” Bloom shakes his head. “I’ve been at this for 30 years as an organizer, and I know who those people are.” Bloom is running against Bagshaw, neighborhood activist Dorsol Plants, Amazon.com executive Brian Carver, and Thomas Tobin for City Council Position 4, the

David Bloom

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle City Council candidate David Bloom is philosophical about hearing his principal opponent described in the media as “frontrunner Sally Bagshaw.” “Sally is definitely the frontrunner when it comes to raising mon-

by James Whitely SGN Contributing Writer

On July 24, David Gonzalez and his friend Robert Harkins were walking east on E. Pike St. from R Place when Gonzalez was beaten and kicked by three men less than two blocks from Broadway. Gonzalez considers this to be not just an anti-Gay, but anti-Latino motivated attack. According to Gonzalez, he and Harkins spent the early part of the night at R Place dancing with friends. Gonzalez began to get tired, so the two men decided to leave. Both Gonzalez and Harkins say they left at approximately 11:00 p.m. Harkins, who is in his mid-50s, and Gonzalez, who is in his mid20s, proceeded to walk towards Harkins’ parked vehicle on E. Pike St., between Harvard and Boylston. As they were passing the Honey Hole, a popular restaurant and bar on E. Pike St., someone from a group standing outside the businesses voiced an anti-Gay slur that was indistinguishable to Harkins. see david bloom page 16 A second taunt from a woman then

echoed the man’s sentiment, allegedly saying, “there goes a pretty boy walking with his daddy.” Gonzalez reacted by walking up to the group demanding an apology. Gonzalez now realizes he may have appeared threatening. He is tall and well built, but maintains that even though he was, in his words, “tipsy,” he was just asking for an apology. A man about Gonzalez’s height and build stepped between Gonzalez and the woman, ultimately David Gonzalez the day after the attack shoving Gonzalez gan kicking Gonzalez, calling him back. Gonzalez stumbled and fell to the sidewalk, a “faggot” and “spic.” It was at this and the situation quickly got out of point that Gonzalez’s initial aggressor and the woman left. hand. see attack page 16 Allegedly, three other men becourtesy david gonzalez

on LGBT issues

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The Annual

e karaoke videos you sing Ever wonder who is behind thos nights? Come find out! along to at the bar on Saturday ed to grab a camera, Seattle filmmakers have been invit oke video! kara a one e mak and , song a pick Come see the resulting videos, perf live karaoke accompaniment.

ormed with

Northwest Film Forum needs your support! Please visit www.nwfilmforum.org for infomormation on how you can help us reach our goal of $70,000 by August 15 in order to meetour budget gap and save crucial staff and programs. Thank you!

Seattle Gay News

August 7, 2009

Celebrating 36 Years!

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August 7, 2009

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Deadlines Classiﬁeds - Thursday at noon Calendar - Tuesday 6pm Display Ads: Space Reservation - Monday 5pm Ad copy (non-camera ready) - Tues. 5pm Ad copy (camera ready) - Wed. 5pm Letters to the Editor - Tuesday 5pm Obituaries - Call the SGN ofﬁce All others - Tuesday 5pm

Editor In Chief George Bakan Associate Editor Tom Flint (retired) Editorial Assistant Nick Ardizzone Production William Creswell Calender Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Travel Editor George Bakan Advertising Manager Marty Weisbrod Advertising Department Maggie Bloodstone Executive Assistant Mike Andrew Staff Writers George Bakan, Albert S. Rodriguez, Rajket Dirzhud-Rashid, Nick Ardizzone, Shaun Knittel Miryam Gordon, Tim Peter Contributing Writers

Rev. Barbara Allen, Mike Andrew, Eric Andrews-Katz, Madelyn Arnold, Maggie Bloodstone, Beau Burriola, Jessica Davis, Ron Anders, Jessica Price, Milton W. Hamlin, Nevin Jefferson, Keen News Service, Jason A. Miller, Liz Meyer, Rod Parke, Don Paulson, Scott Rice, Leslie Robinson, Richard Kennedy, Romeo San Vicente, Rex Wockner

ENDA introduced in US Senate

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

The Senate version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was introduced Wednesday by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Like the House version introduced by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) in June, the measure includes protections for Transgender workers. To date, 37 Senators have signed on as

Classiﬁeds Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Photographers Nick Ardizzone, Joseph P. Herron, Shaun Knittel, Rajket Dirzhud-Rashid National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Website Designer Barry Thorsness/Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published weekly by JT&A, Inc. © 2008, JT&A, Inc., all rights reserved. Reprints by permission.

Publication of names, photographs or likenesses of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your subscription or ad. However, credit towards any size ad will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.

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co-sponsors of the legislation, including Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). Kennedy had been expected to be the prime sponsor of the bill, but he remains at home battling brain cancer. “Senator Kennedy talked with his team, and felt that he wants to take key issues that he cares a lot about and pass the baton because he’s not as able to be here in person in the way that he would have been here a year ago,” Merkley told the Washington Blade newspaper. Kennedy is chairman and Dodd acting chairman of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, where ENDA will be referred. Whether the committee will hold hearings on ENDA – a necessary preliminary to passage – “has yet to be addressed,” according to Merkley. Merkley and Washington’s Senator Patty Murray (DWA) are also members of the committee. On the House side, the Education and Labor Committee is expected to begin hearings on Barney Franks’ ENDA bill in September, after Congress returns from its August recess. HRC Legislative Director Allison Hewitt expects the House version to come to a vote in October. Bringing ENDA to a vote in the Senate will be more complicated, however. Senate rules require that at least 60 Senators agree to close debate on a measure before it can come up for a vote. Achieving that threshold often requires amending a bill to remove provisions that some members find objectionable. ENDA supporters fear that protections for Transgender workers might be at risk

in behind-the-scenes negotiations to get the measure to a vote. Merkley, however, insists that the Trans-inclusive language will stay in the bill. He told reporters Wednesday that his colleagues who support the bill have agreed that “discrimination is simply wrong, and that gender identity discrimination is a key part of this area. … We shouldn’t be slicing and dicing different components of it.” A controversial version of ENDA passed the House of Representatives in 2007 without protections for Transgender workers. Senator Kennedy then introduced it in the Senate, but it was never scheduled for hearings. The current Trans-inclusive ENDA bill is expected to pass the House. Merkley declined to predict whether it would pass in the Senate, although he told The Advocate magazine “it’s certainly possible that this could be passed by year’s end, though the [congressional] schedule is very crowded.” If it does pass, any differences in the Senate and House versions must be reconciled, and a final version presented to both houses for passage. Merkley said the passage of hate crimes legislation in the Senate as an amendment to a Defense Department bill “raises the possibility” of a similar path for ENDA, but he added that a decision on “what pathways might be feasible” could not be made until further discussion occurs. Merkley was elected to the US Senate in 2008, after a career as a state legislator. As Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives in 2007 and 2008, Merkley oversaw passage of a civil rights bill outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and employment, and another bill recognizing same-sex domestic partnerships. “For me, one of the huge issues that I’ve cared a lot about is equality under the law and fairness to all Americans, and this was just a core part of the way I view the world,” he said to reporters Wednesday.

In Loving Memory Of Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold

Seattle Gay News

August 7, 2009

Celebrating 36 Years!

RACHEL MADDOW, YOU SHOCKED ME Rachel Maddow, you shocked me today (August 4) when you turned SRS (sex reassignment surgery) into a Transphobic joke. You were deflating yet one more GOP lie about healthcare proposals. But why did you attack your LGBT Trans-sisters, Rachel? I have always supported, adored, and promoted and defended you as an intelligent, feisty, right-on out-Lesbian progressive. You blew me away when your little “underwear industry” yuk-yuk hardee har-har moment instantly diminished the dignity of all mtf & ftm Transgender people on a show viewed by many progressive people. Why? Seriously? Do you really feel contemptuous

toward us, your Transgender fans and colleagues? I am so disappointed. Would you advocate chopping the “T” off of LGBT, then? I am a Transexual woman, a lifelong feminist, and a Lesbian through & through. What am I supposed to think about you now? Help me on this, please. Rachel, dear, SRS should be paid for by health insurance; that is one of our many struggles. SRS is available – free – in Cuba. And it is covered in other countries too. You are entitled to your opinion. But would care to clarify your comments, because this is already burning up on the LGBT web (or “internets” as you insist on calling it). Warmest regards nonetheless, Calamity Progress

SEAMEC endorses Rob Holland for Port Commission SEAMEC has endorsed Rob Holland, an openly Gay African American man, for Port Commission Position 3. Holland was interviewed by SEAMEC on July 25. After interviewing all his competitors for Position 3, and reviewing his record, SEAMEC concluded that Holland merits one of its rare endorsements. SEAMEC endorses candidates only “in recognition of a clear choice of importance to the LGBT community, or in recognition of a distinguished history of activism on behalf of the LGBT community.” Holland was questioned by SEAMEC’s volunteer interview panelists on a range of LGBT issues grouped into the general categories of Equality, Relationships, Age and Gender, Health and Safety, and Awareness. All candidates are asked the same series of questions. SEAMEC’s panelists graded Holland as follows: B in the category of Equality; A in Relationships; A in Age and Gender; B in Health and Safety; A in Awareness. After candidates are interviewed, SE-

AMEC’s Steering Committee assigns a numerical rating based on all available information about the candidate, including the candidate’s public record, and information gleaned from community members who may have worked with the candidate. Holland received a rating of 4, indicating he “exceeds expectations.” SEAMEC is continuing to interview primary election candidates, and will release all its ratings next week. In addition to SEAMEC’s endorsement, Holland has also been endorsed by Senator Joe McDermott, Representative Jamie Pedersen, Representative Dave Upthegrove, and City Council members Sally Clark and Tom Rasmussen, among others. Holland’s “Green Jobs Plan” has earned him endorsements from the Martin Luther King County Labor Council and the Building Trades Council of construction unions, as well as from the Sierra Club and King County Conservation Voters. Courtesy of SEAMEC

Texas admits agents acted improperly in Fort Worth raid by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Texas Alcoholic Beverages Commission (TABC) released its internal investigation of its June 28 raid on the Rainbow Lounge on Thursday. According to the report, two TABC agents and their immediate supervisor committed 19 separate violations of state policy in connection with the raid on the Fort Worth Gay bar. “There were so many violations that one could readily assert that they had no business walking through the door,” Texas state Rep. Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth) told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Perhaps the most shocking findings were that TABC agents participated in the joint raid with Fort Worth police on their own initiative, without authorization from supervisors. The agents were also accused of failing to report injuries to bar patron Chad Gibson while he was in their custody. Gibson was hospitalized for more than a week with severe brain injuries. He is now recovering, but his long-term prognosis remains unclear, according to his doctors. The TABC report accuses Agent Christopher Aller of eight violations, Agent Trainee Jason Chapman of seven violations, and their immediate supervisor Sgt. Terry Parsons of four violations. Both Aller and Chapman were accused of failing to report injuries to Gibson and failing to report using force to detain pa-

trons at the Rainbow Lounge. Parsons was accused of failing to tell his superiors of the multiple arrests. Charges that TABC agents used excessive force in arresting bar patrons were not addressed in the report issued on Thursday. TABC is conducting a separate “use of force” investigation, but it is not yet complete. Disciplinary action against the three TABC employees is pending their written response to the findings. Under state rules, they must file a response within five working days. Sgt. Parsons announced his retirement shortly after details of the raid became public. Aller and Chapman remain on administrative leave. The Fort Worth Police Department is also conducting two separate internal investigations into the conduct of its officers involved in the raid. “The Fort Worth Police Department understands that patrons of the Rainbow Lounge and the community expect a report in August,” Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead said after the TABC report was released. “Therefore, we have asked for time on the August 18 pre-council agenda to provide City Council, patrons of Rainbow Lounge and the community a progress report of our investigation.” The Fort Worth City Council has asked the federal Justice Department to conduct an independent investigation of the incident.

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Obama to honor Harvey Milk, Billie Jean King with Medal of Freedom by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer President Obama announced July 30 that he will honor Harvey Milk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, recognizing significant contributions to the nation and the world. Milk shares the list of recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom with acclaimed Lesbian Billie Jean King, a professional tennis player who helped champion gender equality issues, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), a 46-year veteran of the Senate and civil rights champion, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a leading anti-apartheid activist in South Africa, and Rev. Joseph Lowery, a leader in the U.S. civil rights movement since the early 1950s. “These outstanding men and women represent an incredible diversity of backgrounds,” said President Barack Obama. “Their tremendous accomplishments span the field from science to sports, from fine arts to foreign affairs. Yet they share one overreaching trait: Each has been an agent of change. Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great obstacles along the way.” The President said their relentless devotion to breaking down barriers and lifting up their fellow citizens sets a standard to which we all should strive. “It is my great honor to award them the Medal of Freedom,” said Obama. “President Obama understands that Harvey Milk’s legacy reaches far beyond San Francisco, and that his story is an inspiration to everyone who believes in equality and fairness,” said Geoff Kors, Equality California (EQCA) executive director. “Harvey

Milk risked everything to change the course of history and to secure many of the civil rights and protections we enjoy today. In light of Harvey Milk receiving this incredible honor, we urge Gov. Schwarzenegger to sign the Harvey Milk bill into law as a tribute to Milk’s courageous work to end discrimination against the LGBT community.” Last year, EQCA sponsored the first bill in the country to officially honor Milk, the nation’s first openly Gay man elected to major political office. Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill. Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) introduced the Harvey Milk Day bill again this year. If passed, the legislation would require the governor to annually proclaim May 22 as Harvey Milk Day, designating it as a “day of special significance” to recognize Milk’s work to secure equal protections. Schwarzenegger has said Milk’s contributions should continue to be recognized “at the local level by those who were most impacted by his contributions.” In light of President Obama’s July 30 announcement, members of the LGBT community are hoping Gov. Schwarzenegger will support the Harvey Milk Day bill. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organizations, applauded the announcement by Obama. “Harvey Milk took the first leap into the foray of politics and represented what we didn’t imagine possible: an openly Gay elected official,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. Solmonese echoed Obama’s praise of Billie Jean King, saying, “She not only shattered tennis records, she opened up new possibilities for women and became a role model for both LGBT players and fans.” President Obama will present the awards at a ceremony Wednesday, August 12.

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August 7, 2009

Seattle Gay News

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Park); Philadelphia (Love Park); Phoenix (Capitol); Portland, Ore. (Pioneer Courthouse Square); Salt Lake City (Washington Square); San Diego (Manchester Grand Hyatt); San Francisco (Union Square); San Jose (City Hall); Santa Barbara (Pardall Road); Tulsa (621 E. 4th St.); and Washington, D.C. (National Mall between 3rd and 4th streets). Tentative plans have been announced in 24 other locations from Anchorage to the Northern Mariana Islands to Toronto. For the latest information, see the kiss-in Facebook group at tinyurl.com/no8h7q. UPDATE: CA decimates AIDS test funding In an effort to balance California’s budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used line-item vetoes July 28 to chop more than $50 million in funding from the state Office of AIDS, including critical funding for HIV viral-load testing. Schwarzenegger decimated AIDS services across the board, leaving full funding in place only for epidemic surveillance and for the drugs that suppress HIV. Although the cuts curtailed state funding for HIV-related education (an 80% cut), prevention (80% cut), counseling (70% cut), testing (70%), primary medical care (50%), home care (50%) and housing (20%), one cut stood out in particular: the termination of all funding for the Office of AIDS’ Therapeutic Monitoring Program. For some 35,000 Californians whose HIV care is paid for by the state, that program paid for viral-load testing and drug-resistance testing. Viral-load testing is required in HIV care, as it is the only way to determine if a particular HIV drug cocktail is working in a given patient. Drug-resistance testing comes into

August 7, 2009

file photo

Great Nationwide Kiss-In planned for August 15 A GLBT “Great Nationwide Kiss-In” is planned for August 15 at 11 a.m. Pacific time, 2 p.m. Eastern time. Organizers include Join The Impact, which organized the 50-state anti-Prop-8 marches last November, bloggers and SitIn4Equality.net. Recently two men were arrested for kissing in Salt Lake City’s Main Street Plaza, which the city sold to the Mormon church 10 years ago. There also was an incident in El Paso, Tex., where five Gay men were kicked out of a taco shop after two of them kissed. Police reportedly threatened to arrest them under the state sodomy law that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2003. The Salt Lake incident led to two large kiss-ins at Main Street Plaza and a smaller kiss-in at the Mormon temple in San Diego. Writing at SitIn4Equality.net, blogger David Badash said: “I’ll be damned if someone – citizen, neighbor, or the police – thinks they can tell me I can’t hold my boyfriend’s hand while walking down the street, or kiss him in public. ... Enough is enough. It’s time we call these ‘peace officers’ out. It’s time we showed them love can’t be stopped. It’s time for a nationwide kiss-in.” Kiss-ins have been organized in Athens, Ga. (College Avenue); Atlanta (Piedmont Park); Boston (Boston Common); Chicago (Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street in Oak Park); Cincinnati (5th and Vine); Denver; Edmonton, Alberta (Legislature); Erie, Pa. (courthouse); Fayetteville, Ark. (plaza near Town Center); Hot Springs, Ark.; Houston (Discovery Green); Iowa City (Donnelly’s Pub); Irvine, Calif. (Steelhead Brewery); Little Rock; Los Angeles; New York City (Times Square); Parkersburg, W. Va. (City

by Rex Wockner SGN Contributing Writer

“Expecting us to provide appropriate medical care to people with HIV and AIDS without the ability to do viral-load testing is like expecting a surgeon to remove a tumor without being allowed to do an X-ray or MRI to determine its location,” said Lorri Jean, CEO of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center. “It’s outrageous.” Equality California called Schwarzenegger’s elimination of monitoring testing “beyond immoral” and “amazingly stupid.” San Diego blogger Mike Tidmus, who has AIDS and frequently writes about HIV issues, said Schwarzenegger’s move also Delores Jacobs, CEO of The San Diego LGBT Community Center doesn’t make sense economically. play at various junctures, including when a “If someone loses access to viral-load testdrug cocktail that had been working stops working in a given patient. The two types ing and their virus becomes active again, of testing guide a doctor in prescribing a they’re going to develop an opportunistic incocktail that keeps a patient’s viral load un- fection and end up in an emergency room or hospital bed, costing the state more money,” detectable. Patients whose viral load is undetectable Tidmus said in an interview. The California Legislature’s LGBT Cauare very unlikely to develop deadly HIVrelated infections and are dramatically less cus said it was “outraged by the governor’s infectious than those whose virus is not sup- line-item vetoes to eliminate state funds that support critical HIV/AIDS-related propressed. “These were extraordinarily difficult cuts grams.” “With the stroke of a pen, he has crippled to make and they are cuts that will have consequences,” said Al Lundeen, spokesman for the Office of AIDS, striking a totally devthe California Department of Public Health. astating cut to a state-funded infrastructure that took more than two decades to build,” “More people will become infected.” Office of AIDS Chief Michelle Roland, the caucus said. “Given that the governor has chosen to a doctor who treats HIV patients herself, said the Therapeutic Monitoring Program eliminate support for HIV/AIDS early inwas funded only by state money and, there- tervention, treatment, education and prevenfore, the program no longer exists. Across tion programs, we wonder how many new the board, the office’s HIV care and support HIV infections the governor has projected programs now have about half of the funds for this year and next, and whether he really thought through the additional costs, in both they had previously, she said. There are preliminary plans, “which I fiscal and human terms, these cuts will have must emphasize are not final,” she said, on people across this state.” Los Angeles’ AIDS Healthcare Foundato combine the remaining, mostly federal funding of various programs into a single tion, the U.S.’ largest AIDS organization, allocation “that can be used flexibly to pay said Schwarzenegger’s “heartless act is not for care and support-related services like only deadly, but guaranteed to cost Califormedical visits, lab tests, medical case man- nia taxpayers millions more in the future.” “With HIV testing programs sidelined and agement, etc.” “So, while there will no longer be a stand- the state’s ability to prevent new infections alone TMP program, there will still be on stymied, new infections in California will average about half of the funds that have increase – each new infection can mean up been available to pay for [our] whole ar- to $600,000 in lifetime health care costs,” ray of services,” she said. “Once we figure said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “A out how to get this money to the local fis- 100% cut to the Therapeutic Monitoring cal agents, they will need to figure out how Program is the definition of penny-wise and best to use the money to pay for the most pound-foolish – with the ability to monitor essential services, among them laboratory the effectiveness of lifesaving AIDS drugs hampered, the state’s already cash-strapped testing.” “It’s not quite as dire as no one will have AIDS Drug Assistance Program will only access, but there will definitely be fewer ser- end up spending more for drugs.” The CEO of The San Diego LGBT Comvices for people to access,” Roland said. If some patients no longer have access to munity Center called the funding cuts “devviral-load testing or all patients have access astating.” “While we all know the state budget is to it less often, apart from the impact on an individual’s health, “a population that is more than a mess, and we knew some HIV/ less successfully virally suppressed is more AIDS funding cuts were likely, the depth likely to transmit,” Roland acknowledged. and scope of the governor’s cuts are unfath“We may see an increase in the HIV rate as omable,” Delores Jacobs said. “These cuts will make it extraordinarily a result.” Roland, who co-founded an ACT UP difficult to determine whether the medicachapter in the 1980s, also lamented the mas- tions are working – viral-load testing – or sive reduction in funding for ordinary HIV even if someone is positive and might need to begin medications – HIV testing. The cuts testing to see if one has become infected. “There will be fewer people who know also devastate one of the most promising intervention systems – early intervention their status,” she said. In the final analysis, if some California services for those newly diagnosed – and HIV patients lose access to viral-load test- eliminate all of the few remaining prevening, they could get sick and die, despite tion opportunities.” “Governor Schwarzenegger’s blue-pen receiving HIV drugs paid for by the state. And, in the interim, they would be more frenzy dismantles a system of care that had infectious if, for example, a condom broke become a model, not only for other states, but internationally,” Jacobs said. during sex. Advocates expressed extreme alarm over With assistance from Bill Kelley the funding cuts.

Celebrating 36 Years!

INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

by Rex Wockner SGN Contributing Writer courtesy Mindy Michels and Melissa Schraibman

Mindy Michels (r), pictured with her partner, Melissa Schraibman, is a spokeswoman for the new Tirana-based organization Gay-Straight Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination in Albania.

Albania to legalize same-sex marriage Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha on July 29 endorsed a bill introduced in Parliament to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and also said Albania will legalize same-sex marriage. He called the bill “an important law against discrimination,” which he said is “unacceptable.” Albania has no presence on the main email list for European GLBT activists, and this column had not heard of any Gay activism in Albania. Most Gay Albanians are believed to be closeted, and anti-Gay discrimination is said to be widespread. However, on July 30, an organization calling itself, in English, the Gay-Straight Alliance Against LGBT Discrimination in Albania, issued a press release hailing the prime minister’s announcement. “Aleanca Kundër Diskriminimit të LGBT ... welcomes the statements of Prime Minister Berisha yesterday in support of the nondiscrimination law and marriage equality for Gay people in Albania,” the statement said. “We look forward to the support of all parties and to the passage of the nondiscrimination law soon after the next session of Parliament begins. This is not only a step to be taken for European integration, but primarily for the emancipation of Albanian society. We are proud that our country is joining so many others in embracing equality and rejecting discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.” The group’s website is gayalbania.org, its e-mail address is aleanca.al@gmail.com, and it can be found on Facebook by searching for “Gay Albania.” Once contact was established with the group, it became clear that a lot has been going on. “In addition to this week’s major announcement, over the last six months the new Gay-straight organization, as well as

the coalition of human rights groups, have done quite a bit of work to raise visibility and create community,” said spokeswoman Mindy Michels in an e-mail from Tirana, the Albanian capital. “For the May 17 International Day Against Homophobia there were lectures at universities, press coverage in several of the major papers, posters around the capital, the distribution of 30,000 free ... postcards, a radio show with two Gay activists, an editorial by the U.S. ambassador, an interview with the Dutch ambassador, an open statement against homophobia issued by 24 NGOs, and more.” “A weekly Gay-straight night at a local bar was established in June, and currently provides the only Gay-specific venue for gathering and community-building,” Michels said. “A Facebook site for the Aleanca was opened in April, and now has nearly 500 members. ... Plans are underway for events for Coming Out Day, including a screening of Milk by the U.S. Embassy, as well as a variety of other activities.” Michels, an American, said that for the first 2 1/2 years that she and her partner lived in Albania as open Lesbians, “we met only one Gay Albanian man, and he emigrated shortly after we met him. We knew there had to be other people, but we couldn’t find them,” she said. Until this past February. “We met a few

GLBT Albanians who wanted to work on changing things,” Michels said. “And they have done a tremendous amount in a short period of time. Day by day, through word of mouth, through the Facebook group, through media coverage, through lectures at universities ... they are finding other people, creating community, and building a group of people who want to try and make a difference. I cannot begin to tell you how inspired I am by them. The steps are small, and there is a long way to go, but something has started.” In 2008, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Thomas Hammarberg, told the CoE’s Parliamentary Assembly and Committee of Ministers that Gay Albanians face routine intolerance and violence. “An open discussion regarding homosexuality remains taboo in Albania,” Hammarberg wrote. “LGBT persons are routinely subject to intolerance, physical and psychological violence and seen by many as persons suffering from an ‘illness’. ... There have also been cases of mistreatment by the police.” “There is no single competent body that may accept complaints on the grounds of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in Albania in the context of employment,” the report continued. “This lacuna results in victims being dissuaded or discouraged entirely from seeking just satisfaction.” Hammarberg said that “to sensitize people on diversity of sexuality requires education.” He recommended “a combination of public campaigns, integration of further sexual education within school curricula and further training of state professionals including law enforcement, judicial and medical personnel.” Same-sex marriage is legal in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Spain and the U.S. states of Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts. Same-sex marriage also has been legalized in the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, though the laws have not yet come into effect.

Brazilian Gay group achieves UN status The Brazilian Association of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals achieved consultative status at the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council on July 27. The status allows nongovernmental organizations to access UN meetings, deliver oral and written reports, contact country representatives and organize events. Achieving the status always has been a lengthy, uphill battle for GLBT groups, but organizations eventually have prevailed in recent years from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Some 3,000 nongovernmental organizations have consultative status. The Brazilian group’s acceptance was supported by Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela. It was opposed by Algeria, Belarus, Cameroon, China, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Seventeen nations abstained from voting or were not present: Barbados, Cape Verde, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, India, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Mauritius, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Somalia. Aussie PM: ‘No Gay marriage’ Australia will not follow the trend of legalizing same-sex marriage, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said July 29. Marriage is “between a man and a woman,” Rudd told local radio. He added that the nation’s attorney general has been “hard at work” removing “all legal discriminations” against same-sex couples. With assistance from Bill Kelley

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2009 Mercedes Benz SLK350 by J.T. Hills SGN Contributing Writer

Top • High-performance 3.5-liter V6 engine • Exotic looks • Decent trunk space Bottom • GPS navigation isn’t exactly accurate • For tall drivers, cabin can feel a bit confined • There’s a lot of plastic on the dash for $60k The SLK, Mercedes Benz’s small twoseat roadster, first debuted as a concept car at the 1994 Turin Auto Show and went on sale as a 1998 model. The SLK received its first major redesign for the 2005 model year with exterior styling cues taken from the SLR McLaren supercar. For 2009, Mercedes Benz gave the SLK a modest exterior styling update. The front bumper now includes a more pronounced V-shape to the air dam, and at the rear there is a diffuserstyle design for the lower valance, trapezoidal exhaust and dark-tinted taillights, and the side mirrors now include arrow-shaped

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LED turn indicators. Also for 2009, Mercedes Benz debuts a new 3.5-liter V6 that develops 300 horsepower, an increase of 32 horsepower with lower fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions. After spending a week with the 2009 Mercedes Benz SLK350, I’ve assimilated, corrugated, encapsulated, conjugated, and insinuated my own observations, and here they are:

Hart to Hart Stephanie Powers and Robert Wagner were so chic driving around in their SL roadster, solving crimes and flying around in a jet. As a kid, I loved that show – in re-runs, maybe not. So on a recent trip to Southern California, I tested a 2009 SLK350 for a week, grasping for a feeling of simpler times. I picked the SLK350 up at the Burbank airport and headed directly for the beach in Malibu. Surprisingly, the SLK has a generous trunk – something I kind of obsessed about on the flight from Seattle, because I overpacked. Even with the power retractable hardtop down, I was able to fit a large suitcase and a carry-on with room left. GetOkay, for an MSRP of $59,465, what do ting into the SLK seemed to be a bit of a you get? The 2009 Mercedes Benz SLK350 is well equipped with a base price of $50,950; popular optional equipment adds up quickly. Here’s a look at some of my favorites: Technical Features • 300-hp 3.5 liter V6 sequential multipoint fuel injection engine • Seven-speed automatic transmission with touch shift • Steering: rack and pinion with direct steer system and speed-sensitive power assist • Independent suspension

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tighter fit. I’m over six feet tall, and getting the seat in the correct place so I could actually fit in the car seemed to be a process. I did manage to find a comfortable spot, so with the top down, sun out, and music on, I quickly forgot any discomfort. The test car came with a classic Iridium exterior color with a striking red leather interior – a stunning combination. I was taken a little by how stark the dash looked, stark in that it was a lot of plastic. The silver trim did little to add a sense of luxury. Other than that, the upgraded Harman/Kardon surround sound audio system was excellent, and the navigation was fairly intuitive to use, although it didn’t seem to want to take the most direct routes in order to get you where you want to get going. Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway on twisty roads in a convertible was a great way to spend a birthday. The fact that the Mercedes Benz SLK350 has a 300-hp, 3.5-liter V6 that goes zero to 60 in 5.4 seconds made it all the better. Taking the path less taken and heading up steep canyon roads, the SLK performed masterfully. The seven-speed automatic transmission is silky smooth, the handling elegant and precise. The SLK350 is definitely refined fun.

August 7, 2009

Safety Features • Tele-Aid system • New vehicle four year/50,000 mile warranty • 24-hour roadside assistance • Mercedes-Benz maintenance system • Steel reinforced cabin with front and rear crumple zones • Front dual stage airbags with front knee airbags • Head-thorax airbags integrated into seat backrest • Four-wheel disc brakes with antilock and brake assist • Electronic stability program with acceleration slip regulation • Dual integrated roll bars • Anti-theft alarm system • Night security illumination • Panic button remote key • Clone-proof remote key • Front and rear fog lamps Comfort and convenience • Power retractable hardtop • Leather upholstery • AM/FM/WB Radio with in-dash six-disc CD changer • Nine-speaker audio system • Three-spoke multi-function steering wheel • Eight-way manual sport seats • Dual zone climate control • Bluetooth interface for hands-free phone use Optional features • Premium package I: SIRIUS Satellite Radio, iPod/MP3 media interface, eight-way power seats with four-way power-adjustable steering column and three-position memory, four-way adjustable lumbar support, auto-dimming driver’s side mirror and interior rearview mirrors, infrared remote roof automation, rain sensor, garage door opener, interior ambient lighting package ($2,950) • Multi-media package: Six-inch color display, COMAND hard drive based navigation system, in-dash CD/DVD changer, Harmon/Kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system with Dolby Digital 5.1, voice control, 4GB music register, in-dash SD-memory card slot • Heating package: AIRSCARF neck-level heating system, heated seats, cloth windscreen ($2,980) • Paint/upholstery and trim: Iridium silver ($790) • Destination charge ($900)

Celebrating 36 Years!

The Queer Ally Coalition sponsors week- quired. Please email peter@gaycity.org or ly Community Organizing Meetings on call 206-388-1711. Tuesdays, at 7:30 p.m., at Cascade People’s “PASTIES, PASTRY & POETRY” Center, 309 Pontius Ave. N. The Queer Ally AT THE WILDROSE Coalition is a grassroots democratic alliance compiled by Rick McKinnon WITH THE SISTERS OF of LGBT people and allies committed to the SGN Staff Writer PERPETUAL INDULGENCE, fight for Queer rights, culture, and liberaTHE ABBEY OF ST. JOAN tion. For more information, call 206-612CAMP TEN TREES On Thursday, August 13, at 8 p.m., The tober 4. For complete details, visit www. 6139 or email queerallycoalition@gmail. STILL HAS OPENINGS Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey com or visit www.queerallycoalition.org. emeraldcitysoftball.org. FOR BOTH CAMPERS & of St. Joan, present “Pasties, Pastry & PoetVOLUNTEER STAFFERS ry” at The Wildrose, 1021 E. Pike St. “If you CITY OF SEATTLE NORTHWEST NETWORK THIS SUMMER see only one Burlesque-Erotic Poetry Slam/ JOB-SEARCH WORKSHOP HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL Camp Ten Trees offers a loving and enBake Sale this year, this is IT!” A fundraiser FOR FOLKS 55 AND OVER SUMMER SPECTACULAR gaging residential summer camp program On Wednesday, August 12, from 10:30 for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The The Northwest Network is excited to for LGBTQA youth (ages 13-17) and for host their first annual Summer Spectacu- a.m.-noon, the city of Seattle is sponsoring a Abbey of St. Joan. www.theabbey.org. children/youth of LGBT and/or non-tradi- lar on Sunday, August 9, from 2-6 p.m., at job-search workshop for folks 55 and over. tional families (ages 8-17). Camper spots Seward Park, 5902 Lake Washington Blvd. The workshops are open to King County SEATTLE HOSTS NATIONAL are still available, and volunteer staffers are S., Shelter Site #3. The Summer Spectacular residents and will be held at the Central CONFERENCE OF LGBTQ still needed, for this summer’s camp ses- celebrates the work of the Northwest Net- Building, 810 Third Ave. Job counselors ASIAN AMERICANS, sions. Visit www.camptentrees.org today work of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian and Gay from Mayor Greg Nickel’s Office for Senior SOUTH ASIANS to register for camp, apply to volunteer, or Survivors of Abuse. Bring friends, partners, Citizens will discuss a job lists, computer& PACIFIC ISLANDERS learn more about Camp Ten Trees. Seattle will be host to a national conferco-workers, and the whole family to this training classes, job coaching and other ser2009 Camp Ten Trees Sessions: August all-ages event. Build community with other vices. The next workshop will be held on ence for LGBTQ Asian American, South 16-22 – LGBTQA Youth (ages 13-17); Au- supporters and have a fabulous time while Wednesday, November 4. Asians and Pacific Islander on the weekgust 23-29 – Children and Youth (ages 8-17) enjoying a fabulous BBQ and field games. For more information, call 206-684-0500 end of August 14-16 at the University of from LGBT and/or non-traditional families. Win delicious cakes at the cakewalk and ex- or email seniors@seattle.gov. Washington. Titled “Transgress, Transform, For more information, visit www.campten- citing items in the silent auction and raffle. Transcend,” the conference will showcase trees.org; info@camptentrees.org; 206-288- Beat your friends in a hula-hooping conthe diversity of the LGBTQ Asian Pacific POZSEATTLE 9568. Islander experience and will expand the MONTHLY SOCIAL test! Hang out in the summer sun at Seward POZSeattle is pleased to present its capacity and ability of LGBT Asian Pacific Park and have a blast. Tickets are $35 for OUT FOR SUSTAINABILITY adults and $12 for youth 18 and under. Buy monthly POZ Social on Wednesday, Au- Islander activists and communities to orgaCO-HOSTS SAM REMIX PARTY tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/ gust 12, from 6-8 p.m., at The Cuff, 13th nize. Conference organizers have lined up AT OLYMPIC SCULPTURE PARK event/67409 or make checks payable to The Ave. & E. Pine St. Meet us on the back patio four keynote speakers and over 50 workOn Friday, August 7, from 8 p.m.-mid- Northwest Network and mail to: The North- for BBQ, socializing, to catch-up with old shops, panel discussions, caucuses, and night, join OUT for Sustainability at the west Network, PO Box 18436, Seattle, WA friends, to make new ones, and a whole lot cultural performances, which will address a Olympic Sculpture Park, 2901 Western Ave. 98118. For more information, call 206-568- of fun. This event is FREE (except for the wide array of topics and issues. The event’s at Broad St., for the SAM Remix party, with 7777, email maria@nwnetwork.org or visit cost of beverages), and is for all HIV-Posi- many programs will provide attendees opDJs spinning dance music, performances www.nwnetwork.org. tive men and their friends, regardless of age, portunities to network and to expand their and tours of the sculpture park at this speknowledge and skills in advocacy and comshape, size, or color. cial late-night event. The first 100 guests POZSeattle is a social organization run munity building. Registration fee is $100, KNIGHTS OF MALTA/ at Remix the night of the event get in free. for and by Seattle-area HIV-Positive guys with a reduced rate of $75 for presenters and JET CHAPTER HOSTS BBQ, As a co-host for this evening’s party, OUT that is committed to planning and promot- people with limited income. Some scholar6TH ANNUAL WET SHORTS for Sustainability members get in for $5 – ing fun, social activities. For questions or ships are available to assist attendees pay CONTEST AT THE CUFF just mention that you are a member of OUT On Sunday, August 9, join the Knights of more information about this event, to plan for the cost of conference registration. Regfor Sustainability to receive this discounted Malta Jet Chapter for The Cuff’s Summer your own social event, or to be added to the istration is available online at www.nqapia. rate. BBQ (hot dogs and hamburgers) at 4 p.m. POZSeattle event promotions email list, org/nc-2009.html. and the K of M’s Wet Short Contest at 6 p.m. email info@pozseattle.org or visit us on the MEN OF ALL COLORS & SEATTLE HEMPFEST ’09 The events will be held at The Cuff Com- web at www.pozseattle.org. CULTURES TOGETHER The THC Foundation presents Seattle’s plex, 1533 13th Ave. at E. Pine St. There HOSTS AUGUST annual HempFest, on Saturday/Sunday, AuSEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN will be prizes for contest winners – both POTLUCK SOCIAL BOOK CLUB AT DUNSHEE HOUSE gust 15-16, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., at Myrtle male and female. No admission charge. On Saturday, August 8, starting at 5 p.m., Hosted by Sir Guy 2002 Richard Jarvis The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club Edwards Elliott Bay Park, 3130 Alaskan Men of All Colors & Cultures Together and Sir Guy 2008/2009 Alex Knight. www. meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Dun- Way. $10 suggested donation. www.hemp(MACCT) will be hosting their August jetchapterkofm.com. shee House, 303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas fest.org. Potluck Social at a location near Discovery St. Following are the titles to be discussed Park. For more information including locaQ-SQUARED in their ongoing reading and discussion seQUEER ALLY COALITION tion/directions, call 206-923-8313 or email MONTHLY BOOK GROUP ries: August – A Fairly Honourable Defeat HOSTS BIWEEKLY macctseattle@yahoo.com. MACCT is a On Saturday, August 15, at 1 p.m., the Qby Iris Murdoch; September – The Thief’s LGBT HISTORY STUDY GROUP Gay/Bisexual multi-racial, multi-cultural As part of their ongoing efforts to educate Journal by Jean Genet; October – Wild Squared monthly book group for Gay, Biorganization committed to fostering sup- the LGBT and allied community about the Dogs by Helen Humphreys; November – sexual and Transgendered men will meet portive environments wherein racial and history of the LGBT struggle in this coun- The Gifts of the Body by Rebecca Brown; at the Capitol Hill Branch Library, Harvard cultural barriers can be overcome and the try, the Queer Ally Coalition is hosting a se- December – Death in Venice by Thomas Ave. E. & E. Republican St., to discuss Lesgoal of human equality realized. ries of study groups around the book, Gay Mann. All GLBTQ folks in the community lie Jordan’s autobiography, My Trip Down Power: An American Revolution by David are welcome to participate in this free book the Pink Carpet. For more information,visit HOT SUMMER BURLESQUE 101 Eisenbach. The group will meet Sundays, club. The reading list is chosen and the dis- www.qsquared.org and click on “Ongoing STUDENT GRADUATION RECITAL August 9 and 23, and September 6 at 7 p.m., cussion facilitated by Nick DiMartino, pub- Programs.” On Saturday, August 8, Miss Indigo at Kaladi Brothers, 511 E. Pike St. The lished novelist and playwright, currently a Blue’s Academy of Burlesque presents a hot group will adopt the following format: 10- book reviewer for ShelfAwareness.com, SAME LOVE SAME RIGHTS summer Burlesque 101 Student Graduation minute summary, 10 questions, discussion. and a 30-year employee of University Book LGBTQ WEDDING & Recital, at 7 p.m. (18+) and 9 p.m. (21+), at FAMILY EXPO RETURNS This book presents a complex portrait of Store. For more information, email nickdithe Oddfellows Hall Building, 915 E. Pine the birth of the modern Gay rights move- martin@earthlink.net or contact Dunshee On Sunday, August 16, from 12:30-3:30 St., West Hall on 2nd Fl. A brand new crop ment. p.m., the Rainbow Wedding Network presHouse at 206-322-2437. of naughty students will be ready to amuse, ents their Same Love Same Rights LGBTQ tease and titillate you with a hot summer Wedding & Family Expo at Waterways “BLITZ” – CAPITOL HILL’S 6TH ANNUAL LEO PARTY Tassel Ceremony unlike any other. AttendCruises and Events’ Lakeside Event Center, MONTHLY ART WALK TO BENEFIT ees are encouraged to bring confetti and On Thursday, August 13, from 5-8 p.m., 2501 N. Northlake Way. With the stunning HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN flowers for their favorite students. As is cusenjoy a dynamic range of visual and per- Seattle skyline as a backdrop, Seattle-area AND ENTRE HERMANOS tomary, prizes will be raffled off, including On Sunday, August 9, Neighbours Night forming arts in venues throughout the same-sex couples, singles, and their friends tickets to upcoming shows, previously-worn Club, 1509 Broadway, hosts the 6th annu- neighborhood, including galleries, coffee and families will have the opportunity to undergarments and other authentic bur- al Leo Party – doors at 7:30 p.m., show at shops, private studios and on street cor- meet with dozens of Gay-friendly busilesque memorabilia. Tickets are $10 when 10 p.m. Door proceeds benefit the Human ners. Participating businesses include: Bus nesses in the wedding industry and related purchased from any student, $12 at brown- Rights Campaign, America’s largest LGBT Stop, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, City Home markets. Guests will have the opportunity papertickets.com/event/76382 and $15 at civil rights organizations, and Entre Herma- Store, Toys in Babeland, Rosebud, Retail to tour Waterways Cruises luxurious yachts the door. Food and beverage service will nos, Seattle’s LGBT Latino/a community Therapy, Atlas, Vermillion, Caffe Vita, as well as enjoy vendor samples, helpful be provided by The Tin Table. This event is social and support organization. www.hrc. Retrofit Home, The Copper Vine, Whimsy planning tips, and giveaways.Whether planwheelchair accessible – call 206-478-9475 org; www.entrehermanos.org Home Decor, Porchlight Coffee, Poco Wine ning a ceremony, expanding their families, for front seating. Miss Indigo Blue’s AcadRoom, ’zaw Artisan Pizza, Healeo, Seattle or looking to becoming homeowners, this emy of Burlesque will be moving to West Asian Art Museum. Held the second Thurs- FREE event offers something for everyTHE ELITE HOSTS Hall on September 1. For more information day of each month, the art walk is organized one. For more information, visit www. FREE ASL LESSONS about this show and for information about by the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce. SameLoveSameR ights.com. FOR BEGINNERS upcoming classes, phone 206-478-9475 or Have you ever wanted to learn basic For more information and a map, visit www. email academy@twirlygirl.net. NORTHERN XPOSURE WEEKEND American Sign Language? If so, you can blitzcapitolhill.com. Join the fun at one or more of Northern get some beginning ASL instruction at the EMERALD CITY SOFTBALL Xposure’s Thursday-Sunday, August 20-23, GAY CITY HOSTS Elite, 1520 E. Olive Way. The FREE lessons ASSOCIATION FALL community events and parties in support of “EDEN: A GARDEN PARTY” will be held every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the BALL LEAGUE On Thursday, August 13, enjoy hors Lambert House, Seattle’s LGBTQ youth loft. Emerald City Softball Association is d’ouevres, cocktails, good company and a center. For a complete schedule of all the sponsoring Fallball ’09, an ECSA Open Distunning view of Puget Sound at “Eden: A events, visit www.nxposure.com. QUEER ALLY COALITION vision softball league for men and women Garden Party” – Gay City’s annual summer SPONSORS WEEKLY of all skill levels. Play dates will be August soiree fundraiser. “The flower boys return COMMUNITY ORGANIZING 9 and 23, September 13, 20 and 27, and Ocwith all their sinful surprises.” RSVP reMEETINGS

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Vancouver Pride shatters attendance records by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer

ist for social and political quality since he was a teenager. Diaz organized a number of social justice clubs, regional LGBT groups, Last week, Vancouver, B.C. joined the created Canada’s first LGBTQ scholarship, hundreds of other cities who shattered at- and an international charity supporting tendance records for Gay Pride 2009. Over a number of educational and community 600,000 people enjoyed the Vancouver services and programs. Writer, artist and Pride Parade August 2 and 110,000 enjoyed community leader Janine Fuller was this the Pride festival site and beer garden at year’s “Local Hero” Grand Marshal. Fuller Sunset Beach. gained notoriety as a leader whose fight for This year’s Vancouver Pride theme was freedom of expression continues to inspire “Educate, Liberate, Celebrate.” The parade the LGBT community in Vancouver and route spanned 20 blocks and is Vancouver’s beyond. Fuller works to end censorship of premier celebration of culture and diversi- Gay and Lesbian literature and art. Cindy ty, according to Vancouver Pride officials. Kampmeinert was the 2009 “Posthumous This year, parade participation grew, as Honorary Pride Hero” Grand Marshal. Pride well; there were noticeably more floats and officials say Kampmeinert, an openly Gay marchers than years past. firefighter, was not only a hero but a Pride Each year, Vancouver names a number of legend, as well. Tragically, the 41-year-old Grand Marshals from their local, national Lesbian died while on vacation in India last and international LGBT communities. This December. year’s “Role Model” Grand Marshal was The roughly three-hour parade and SunCleve Jones, an LGBT activist who worked set Beach festival were a hit. The sidewalks with Harvey Milk, co-founded the San Fran- all along the parade route were packed with cisco AIDS Foundation in 1983, conceived spectators who came out to celebrate the the idea for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and LGBT community, and the park and beach is currently organizing a National March were at capacity with 2009 Pride revelers. on Washington for LGBT Equality in Octo- The backdrop, Vancouver, is one of the most ber of this year. The 2009 “National Hero” beautiful cities in the world. The city is fun, Grand Marshal was Jeremy Dias, an activ- safe, clean, and Gay-friendly.

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Seattle Gay News 15

PFLAG stickers an icon of change alex polson

for people to ask for extra stickers so they can take them to their workplace or give them out to friends. “We purchase approximately 60,000 every couple of years,” said Barbara Clark-Elliot, president of the Seattle chapter board of directors, “the majority of which are spent [given out] at the Seattle Pride Parade.” “I’m loved by PFLAG” stickers are easy to get and highly visible at the Seattle Pride Parade and various Pride Parades and celebrations across Washington State. Throughout the year, they can be found at all PFLAG events and education panels, PFLAG information tables at the University of Washington, Green River Community College, and the Seattle Community Colleges, as well as the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival and the Gender Odyssey Conference. In addition, PFLAG can often be seen showing their support at various rallies and protests. This past May, PFLAG came out

to protest at Westlake Center after the California Supreme Court handed down the ruling in favor of Proposition 8 and handed out stickers. Clark-Elliot sums up how the stickers make her feel: “There is no feeling that matches the pride, pleasure, and safety of being in a crowd of people, the majority of whom are wearing big, neon pink stickers proclaiming, ‘I’m loved by PFLAG.’” PFLAG is a national non-profit with over 200,000 members in the United States. Their mission is to promote the health and wellbeing of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender persons, and to provide opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and act to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. For more information on Seattle PFLAG go to www.seattle-pflag.org.

attack

Fanucci said he was under the impression that the incident was a friendly scuffle – that everyone knew each other – and everyone was coming from the block party. He didn’t think much of it, which is why he didn’t call the police. He maintains that the Honey Hole does not condone violence of any sort. As SGN interviewed him, the first question he asked was, “Is the guy OK?”

continued from cover

by James Whitely SGN Contributing Writer One of the most common sights at this year’s Seattle Pride Parade was the bright neon pink stickers that read “I’m loved by PFLAG.” They’ve been around for years, but the story behind them is relatively unknown. They are often simply taken for face value as free stickers to get people in the mood to celebrate Pride. One may wonder whether there is any significance to the color. Why are they pink? Didn’t they used to be orange, and other colors? Although Parents Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a national organization, the idea for the “I’m loved by PFLAG” stickers is a local one. Jeaneane Hill, a PFLAG member, came up with the idea for the stickers, and along with fellow member Carol Balasa, brought it up to the Bellevue PFLAG board during a meeting. The board approved the idea and the design process began. Once complete,

The incident was “kind of a blur” to Gonzalez and Harkins, though they estimate it lasted about 30 seconds. “I pulled one of the guys off him, and a small African American woman helped me.” Harkins told SGN. “As far as I know, they [the attackers] went back into the Honey Hole.” The attack left Gonzalez with two black eyes and bleeding from his nose after being kicked in the face. Harkins and the woman who had come to Gonzalez’s aid tried to calm him down, as he wanted to enter the Honey Hole. “No, let’s go home,” said Harkins. The woman said, “I understand; my mom’s a Lesbian” over and over again, trying to comfort him. While there were a large number of witnesses to the attack, no one called the police. “[Gonzalez] was the one beaten, but I was also assaulted verbally and pulled a muscle in my chest pulling the creeps off him,” Harkins said. “But I didn’t call the police because the attacker wasn’t there.”

Carol took the design to a local Capitol Hill printer, where the first stickers were produced over 10 years ago. According to Carol and Mike Balasa, the stickers were first used at the 1996 Pride Parade. Carol told SGN that PFLAG had about 2,000 neon orange stickers printed up for the 1996 parade. As the PFLAG contingent made their way down Broadway, everyone seemed anxious to get a sticker – so much so that they ran out before they reached the end of the parade route. “They were quite successful and could be seen around Capitol Hill for weeks after the parade on people’s backpacks, books, and jackets,” Carol said, adding, “Not to mention the power poles and bus stops.” The tradition continues today. SpokespeoATTACKER IDENTITY ple for PFLAG are consistently amazed by IN QUESTION how many people ask for the stickers, even Gonzalez and Harkins said they believe when they’re tabling at events in places outthat one of the attackers is an employee of like Renton, Bothell, and Issaquah. PFLAG officials say it is not uncommon the Honey Hole, though Honey Hole staff members strongly maintain that claim is impossible. Jimmy Fanucci, a 10-year employee of the Honey Hole, was taking out the trash at the time of the incident and remembers the Servicing night slightly differently than Gonzales and all brands, Harkins. MMI & Factory He saw Gonzalez after he was pushed, but trained techs before he was kicked by the unidentified men. Fanucci vehemently claims that the atp. 206-244-4111 tackers “were definitely not customers, and 20+ years experience definitely not … employee[s].” f. 206-244-4110 Fanucci also told SGN that the attack did 10840 Myers Way S, Seattle, WA 98168 not happen in front of the Honey Hole, but southendmotorcycle.com rather a few doors down from the entrance, in the vicinity of Babeland and Laced Up, both of which were closed at the time. Fanucci saw the man and the woman who were involved in the initial conflict. He said that they both appeared sober, and he yelled for them to “cut it out.” He said that the man and the woman then ran across the street. He also mentioned that the attack had probably taken place between 12:15 a.m. and 12:45 a.m., approximately when the Capitol Hill block party was letting out.

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david Bloom continued from cover

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seat being vacated by Jan Drago. Bloom is optimistic about his chances. “I’ve gotten five of the six Democratic Party organizations,” he says. “Those endorsements mean that the PCOs will be taking my campaign to the voters. In five of the six districts, my name will be on the sample ballot. Hers will not.” Bagshaw has been endorsed only by her own 34th District Democratic Party organization. In an exclusive interview, Bloom talked to SGN about LGBT issues and his 30 years of

MAYOR NICKELS URGES POLICE INVOLVEMENT The day following the attack, July 25, Gonzalez went to the police to report the incident. Gonzalez, black-eyed and bruised, was tearing up at the time, and says he was brushed off at the East Precinct, told that he was “emotional” and to “come back when you can handle it.” A Seattle Police spokesmen told SGN that this is “The subject of an ongoing internal investigational.” In the days after the attack, Gonzalez and Harkins have been contacted by large numbers of people offering sympathy and support, including Regina LaBelle, legal counsel to the mayor. According to Harkins, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels wanted to personally make sure that a police report was filed and introduced Gonzalez to Doug Raguso, who is a police liaison for the LGBT community. Harkins said that the liaison was incredibly responsive and supportive and will begin an investigation. Now, nearly two weeks later, the incident has left Gonzalez emotionally tangled. He believes he was beaten because he was Gay and proud. When asked how the attack made him feel, Gonzalez replied, “I’ve been avoiding the Honey Hole; I don’t even walk on the same side of [that street],” with his voice cracking. “I’ve been making sure my friends get home safe.” He said it makes him upset because he’s sure he’ll see and hear about more attacks like this in the near future within the Capitol Hill neighborhood, which is known to be the epicenter of Gay life in Seattle. Gonzalez stressed that he would like to see a stronger sense of pride and community in the neighborhood. “I would like to see people speak out against this kind of thing,” he said. Seattle Police Sergeant Sean Whitcomb is calling for any witnesses to come forward and contact the Seattle Police at (206) 6845550. experience as a Seattle activist. “When I worked for the Church Council – gosh, this was back in the 1980s – that was a pivotal time for the City and the County in terms of guaranteeing civil rights for the LGBT community,” Bloom recalls. “I’ll tell you a story about that,” he chuckles. “I’d gone to speak at a Dorian Group press conference for the Fair Employment and Open Housing Ordinance. When I got back to the office I had a phone message – you know, on one of those old pink ‘while you were out’ pads – and you know what it said? ‘Homosexuality is a sin, and you are a nerd.’ I still have that note in my scrap book.” Bloom is a Baptist minister, and for many years he ran the urban programs for the

Celebrating 36 Years!

Church Council of Greater Seattle. He is a co-founder of the Seattle Displacement Coalition, the Downtown Emergency Service Center, and Common Ground. He was also a leader in passing Seattle’s first housing levy in 1986. “As an organizer, I’ve mostly focused on low-income people, working people, homeless people,” he tells SGN. “A disproportionate number of homeless youth are homeless at least in part because of sexual identity issues.” BLOOM STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION Bloom believes that talking to constituents about social justice issues will be an important part of his job if he is elected to the City Council. “Public education is an important role for elected officials,” he says. “Why are LGBT youth on the streets? Why are there mentally ill people on the streets? Why are there homeless?” “It’s the same thing on the development side,” Bloom continues. “How do we grow? Who are we accommodating? Who are we displacing? These are questions I don’t see the City talking about.” Bloom has called for the construction

of 5,000 new units of affordable housing “above and beyond the housing levy,” and for “one-to-one replacement [of low-cost housing units] when development occurs.” “And I want to see replacement on-site, or at least in the area,” he adds. “Not somewhere else. That’s the problem with what we do now. We hand people a voucher and tell them to go somewhere else. That’s what breaks up communities.” “Part of the strength of Seattle is strong community identity,” Bloom says. “If one of the results of growth is the dispersal of communities – whether it’s the LGBT community, or African Americans, or whoever it is – we need to step back and take a second look at what’s happening.” Bloom has also called for Seattle to enact a living wage ordinance, “like Denver, or San Francisco, or 140 other cities have.” “You know, half of the homelessness problem is that people aren’t making enough to pay for housing,” he says. “We need to talk about exactly what it takes for people to live in Seattle. Minimum wage is probably only half what you need to live here.” “A start would be for the City to look at its own wage scale,” Bloom says. “Then we could look at contracting as well, like we do with domestic partnership benefits.”

Both the City of Seattle and King County require businesses that contract with them to provide equal benefits for their employees’ same-sex domestic partners as they do for married spouses. “And permitting,” Bloom continues. “Developers come asking the City for benefits. They want to build at a certain height in a certain place. What are we asking in return? I think the City has been too reticent to ask. We could use this leverage to require community benefits.” “All it takes is the willingness of leaders to stand up and talk forthrightly about these issues,” Bloom says. “And I’m willing to do that.”

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Seattle Gay News 17

Coping with tragedy by Michael Raitt SGN Contributing Writer Last week, I read with anger and sadness about the horrific and violent death of Teresa Butz and the vicious attack on her partner. Currently, police are reporting that this was a random crime. There is speculation that the crime might have been motivated by hate. No matter what legal classification this crime falls under, it is horrific and impacts many people. First, I’d like to extend my deepest sympathies to Ms. Butz’s partner, family, and loved ones. Although I do not know any of them, I can barely imagine the grief and horror that has been visited upon them. Most of you will never have to experience the horror that Ms. Butz, her partner, family, and friends experienced or are facing now and in the future. It is likely, however,

that some of you will be faced with an unexpected death of a loved one or some kind of violence or random event that will turn your life upside down. How do we cope when life has hoisted upon us the unexpected death of a loved one or violence towards us as individuals or someone we know? Different people react in different ways. This is obvious, yet important because we have to make room and have tolerance and patience for people to process these kinds of events in their own way. Sometimes we think we have to act a certain way or that we have to “get over it” sooner than we are ready to. Some people compare and judge their reactions to the reactions of others. There are a myriad of reasons for why we respond the way we do. One thing is clear: when we are faced with these kinds of tragedies, we have to deal with them. Clearly, many people get sad when something tragic happens. Sadness usually comes with feelings of depression, crying, or withdrawal. People may have changes in eating, sleep, or concentration patterns. Sometimes people feel guilty about having good times or feeling happy during times of emotional distress or grief or when they are “supposed” to feel sad. Often with sadness comes the playing of situations, scenarios, or conversations again and again through one’s mind, trying

to make sense of what has happened. Sometimes people want to forget, and sometimes they fear they are being annoying or bothersome to other friends when they talk about it. All of this is very normal. Don’t criticize yourself for these feeling or reactions. A huge reaction that people often have to unexpected tragic events is rage, yet it is the least recognized emotion, and the one that is least desired. Rage is a complicated emotion and there are many cultural norms around it. As a society, we often frown upon feelings of rage especially when they are tied to sad events such as the death of a loved one. Normal people don’t like to experience rage because it brings up feelings of being out of control or inappropriate. When people are very angry – rageful – they often feel guilty about their rage. They think they shouldn’t feel that way. They may have rage towards the perpetrator of the crime, which is understandable and socially acceptable. This feeling gets complicated when the rage is about the loved one who has died or their God (however each individual defines that entity) who has “allowed” the tragic event to happen. People may get messages from others that the rage they are experiencing is inappropriate. This confuses people and shames them and they end up working tirelessly to deny and suppress their rage. Over time, this suppressed rage will be harmful to the individual carrying it. Here are some things to do to help cope when an unexpected tragedy comes into your life. First, recognize that you get to deal with it on your time. Some people take longer than others and some of us do it in fits and spurts. It is not uncommon for people to resume a level of functioning (work, relationships, commitments) and still be processing the events months or years down the road. You may need professional help in dealing with the event if it is having too much negative Re fees t duced hr Sept ough . 30

impact in your day-to-day functioning. This is different, however, than “getting over it.” Time does not heal all wounds! I know plenty of people who have experienced tragedies and suppressed them and are still suffering 30 years later. They won’t admit it, but that is what is happening. Each individual has to deal with their own experiences in ways that are meaningful to them and then, over time, they will heal, but they won’t forget. You have to deal with it. If you are a friend or loved one supporting another, be patient. You don’t have to do anything but lend an ear. Most of us realize that no one can do anything for us when we are feeling what we are feeling. We just need an ear or space to blow off steam, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to laugh with. Most anyone can do this. Second, realize that outrage at a violent act or the death of a loved one is normal! It is part of the emotional process that many people have to go through to cope with what has happened in their lives. People can get a great deal of relief when they process their rage. Never allow a professional or clergymember to tell you that your rage is inappropriate. Find someone who will help you deal with your intense feelings in ways that support you. Obviously, I don’t want you taking your rage out and inflicting it on others and causing more pain and suffering. Likewise, I don’t want you carrying all that rage to your own detriment. Finally, even though you may have sadness, grief, or rage, make plans to re-engage with your life. Make yourself do things that you enjoy. Let friends take you out or plan a party or a trip. There is no guilt in laughing or having fun again – even in the shadow of a horrible event. There is a quote I love and it reads, “God’s language is the language of chaos” (forgive me, I don’t remember the author’s name so I can’t give due credit). To me, this means that things just happen, and there is no way to explain them or justify them or understand them. They just happen. It is hard to make peace with this. This is often the final task we are left with when dealing with tragedy. Michael Raitt, MA LMHC, is a therapist and a contributing writer to the SGN. He writes a bi-monthly column in the SGN. If you would like to comment on this column, ask a question you’d like him to write about, or suggest another topic of interest, please contact him at askingmichael@comcast. net.

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tel aviv

continued from cover

said Or Gil, a 16-year-old wounded in the attack. “People took cover under the bed and tables, but there were no screams.” “It’s a small place,” Gil said from his hospital bed August 2. “Once you’re inside, there’s nowhere to run.” Witnesses say the wounded were carried up a staircase to the street. “We saw a woman running toward us covered in blood,” said Adi Shimoni, a patron at a café located across the street from the teen center. “We saw the gunman flee. He was wearing what looked like a ski mask.” He said when he rushed into the center he saw “many wounded and a lot of blood.” The shooting spree in central Tel Aviv set off a citywide security crackdown; police set up roadblocks and launched a massive search for the killer. Witnesses said the gunman, who fled on foot, acted alone. Tel Aviv Police Chief Shahar Ayalon said there had been no recent threat against the center, which has been operating for 15 years, or its patrons, the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association. He said it is unclear whether the shooting was a hate crime. “All avenues of investigation are open,” Ayalon said. Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Israel’s Internal Security Minister, said he believed the attack might have had a “homophobic” motive and said police stepped up security around “other potential targets associated with the Gay community.” Although city officials spoke with uncertainty about the motive, Israeli Gay activists said they had no doubt their community was the target of a hate crime. “It is not surprising that such a crime can be committed given the incitement of hatred against the homosexual community,” said

Mai Pelem, president of Tel Aviv’s Gay and Lesbian community. In fact, the August 1 shooting was not the first time the center was targeted. In the past, swastikas had been painted at the entrance to the center. “This is undoubtedly the worst incident aimed at the Gay community in Israel,” said Nitzan Horowitz, the only openly Gay member of Israel’s 120-member parliament. “It has the characteristics of a hate crime.” “In our worst nightmares we could not have imagined that the hatred against our community, which is hurting nobody, could go this far,” said Mike Hamel, the head of Israel’s Gay and Lesbian National Association. Members of the Tel Aviv Gay community converged on the site of the shooting with signs and candles for an August 2 rally. Many demonstrators accused Shas, the ultra-Orthodox religious party, for inciting the killings. The religious community openly calls homosexuality an “abomination.” Shas has worked in parliament to limit LGBT legal rights. During the rally, one sign read, “Their blood is on your hands.” “Murder is, of course, against the Torah’s path, and every attack is a contravention of the religion of Israel,” said the Shas parliamentary delegation in a statement issued August 2. The statement also called for the attacker to be found and put on trial. Although coastal, cosmopolitan Tel Aviv has a Gay scene, in most other areas of the Jewish State open homosexuality is unwelcome. Gay life in Israel has become more prominent over the past two decades, as Gay groups have fought to gain acceptance. Same-sex marriage is illegal in Israel, however, the courts have ordered the government to recognize same-sex unions performed abroad. Openly Gay men and women are drafted into the Army because of the country’s draft program. According to reports, Gay and

Lesbian servicemembers experience little Authorities said a 24-year-old male counor no discrimination while in uniform, and selor and a 17-year-old girl died at the scene. they are given the opportunity to advance up The third victim died in the hospital August the ranks. 2. Violent attacks on the LGBT community in Israel are rare. The last major attack was in 2005 when an ultra-Orthodox Jew was convicted of stabbing three marchers during Jerusalem’s Gay Pride Parade. The attacker was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Because Gays have found Tel Aviv more tolerant than Jerusalem and other Israeli cities, the August 1 shooting was all the more upsetting. “These teenagers came to this center to talk to one another and receive help,” said Chairman of the Israeli Gay Youth Organization Yaniv Weisman. “This was supposed to be a safe place for them.”

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referendum 71 continued from cover

by Mona Smith and Laurie Jenkins.” Friedes said there has been an incredible interest from people around the region who want to volunteer as verifiers. He said everyone seems interested in the process and the outcome, and people “want to be engaged.” As of August 6, the Secretary of State’s Office said State Elections workers have processed 23,457 names. Out of those checked, 20,335 were accepted and 3,122 were rejected, for a total error rate of 13.31 percent so far. That number paints a bleak picture for R-71 sponsors, who need to maintain a daily error rate of 12.42 percent in order to meet the required 120,577 valid signatures to make the November ballot. Breaking the numbers down further, State Election workers found a total of 68 duplicates, 221 no-match, a staggering 2,764 non-voters, and 69 missing a checkable voter-registration signature. Some of the numbers are subject to change, particularly the signatures that are missing a checkable voter-registration signature. The Secretary of State’s office said those signatures were at least temporarily not counted because the database didn’t include a signature that could be used for checking. In an August 6 statement on the Secretary of State’s website, it says that all or most of those signatures could eventually be shifted over to the “accepted” stack when their home counties report back with a legible signature.

“There’s a bit of confusion out there about how the count is trending because of an inconsistency in the math used to report the rate,” said Sen. Ed Murray on August 6. Murray said the Secretary of State’s blog first reported that the error rate had to stay under 14.2 percent for the referendum to qualify, referred to as “the cushion.” “That cushion was derived by dividing the number of signatures turned in by the number needed to qualify and subtracting 1,” said Murray. “With the cumulative invalid rate at 13.3 percent as of Wednesday, many have been led to believe that the referendum supports are within their cushion.” This is wrong, he said. “It’s confusing when one method is used to determine the overall rates and the opposite method is used in the daily reports,” Murray said. “Either way, when consistent methods are used, the current rate of invalid signatures clearly suggests that R-71 won’t make the ballot.”

removed from petitions after the petitions have been submitted to the office.” Handy said this rule follows the general policy that a deadline must be established, beyond which the number of signatures submitted is fixed. In this case, that deadline was July 25. The analogy Handy used is how a voter may not change his or her vote after the deadline of an election, even if the voter feels he or she was misled into voting for a particular candidate.

Rights Washington, they’ve begun to communicate that R-71 requires an “approve” vote in order to retain the law (i.e., keep the same-sex domestic partnership law). If R-71 is on the ballot in November, voters in favor of the domestic partnership law will be voting to “approve” R-71. Those trying to repeal the law will be voting to “reject” it. “It’s very important that we not wait to make sure we are fully prepared to deal with the referendum,” said Friedes. “Washington Families Standing Together has taken this NAMES RELEASE BLOCKED threat seriously, which is why, long before In a development last week before the ac- the first signature collectors were on the tual signature verification process began, a street, we built a campaign.” federal court order blocking the Secretary of Friedes said the campaign involves all State from releasing the names of the people the aspects that one would expect to see in a who signed the R-71 petitions was granted major campaign. He said if the referendum on “the basis of merits” that the release of makes the ballot, they will launch a vibrant the names may subject the petition signers field campaign, doorbelling and canvassing, to harassment. Two groups, WhoSigned. as well as the continued use of the phone org and the Washington Coalition for Open bank already in operation at the Washington Government, have requested copies of the Families Standing Together Seattle office. DUPED SIGNERS SEEK petitions. The court order is temporary and a “We encourage people to come to the ofTO REMOVE SIGNATURES full hearing on the matter is set for Septem- fice Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to Also this week, the Secretary of State’s ber 3 in Tacoma. 8 p.m. to help at the phone bank,” Friedes office answered a number of inquiries about told SGN. “People who wish to volunteer voters who wanted to withdraw their signaSIGNATURE CHECKERS at events can go to the organization’s webtures from the petition sheets that have been WORKING IN SHIFTS site and register to volunteer at an existing turned in to the state for verification. DurShane Hamlin, assistant state elections event, or register an event that they think ing their quest for petition signatures, R-71 director in charge of the referendum opera- Washington Families Standing Together sponsors were routinely accused of tricking tion, announced August 6 that a second shift should attend.” people into signing a petition “in support of of signature checkers will be brought on so Also available at www.washingtonfamiLGBT marriage.” the checking can be accelerated. According liesstandingtogether.com are printable placNick Handy, state director of elections, to Hamlin, the day shift will work from 7:30 ards that say “Approve R-71.” Friedes said said, “The Office of the Secretary of State a.m. to 3 p.m. and the swing shift will work although the referendum has not made the has taken the position that signatures on ini- from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. ballot yet, his organization is working as tiative and referendum petitions may not be “We’ve been impressed with the long though it already has. hours the Secretary of State’s staff are put“We need to speak to ambivalent voters. ting into the verifying process,” Friedes told They must be the focus of our conversation, SGN. “I think it is important that we come to not those who strongly oppose same-sex a conclusion as quickly as possible.” domestic partnerships,” he said. “I think it With the new workforce, the Elections Di- is important we remember that even though vision is hoping to wrap up the full-signature 137,000 people did sign the R-71 petitions, check sometime during the week of August that represents a tiny percentage of the over17. They also announced that a daily update all electorate, so we should not be angry is now available on the R-71 homepage at with the Washington electorate. The numwww.vote.wa.gov. ber of signatures collected in no way suggests that people in Washington oppose the GENERAL ELECTION recognition of Gay and Lesbian families.” APPROACHING Freides says he understands people might The November 3 General Election is only want to wait and see if the referendum 90 days away. That election will be the first makes the ballot before they donate money completely mail-in ballot voting in the state to Washington Families Standing Together. of Washington. Though that doesn’t give But, he says, he would urge those people to Washington Families Standing Together make a modest contribution now. He said very long to organize, alongside Equal early money makes an enormous difference in a campaign, and he doesn’t want Washington to make the same mistakes that other states have made when fighting for LGBT equality. “If people have questions or ideas, we really welcome phone calls and e-mails,” he said. “This campaign belongs to the entire LGBT and allied community, and its success rests on the engagement of the entire community.” The campaign can be reached at (206) 324-2570, or send an e-mail to info@wafst. org. Joining the fight to keep the current law, according to an Equal Rights Washington press release, are more than 50,000 people, over 150 organizations and 90 clergy and faith-based organizations across the state who have already taken a stand in support of domestic partnership.

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August 7, 2009

Celebrating 36 Years!

Sotomayor confirmed to high court

HRC announces “No Excuses” campaign

by Lisa Keen Keen News Service

by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer

The U.S. Senate confirmed on August 6 the appointment of federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, with many Democrats emphasizing her credentials as a “moderate” and “mainstream” judge and many Republicans insisting she is “liberal” and “activist.” Although she has had very few Gay-related cases before her during her years on the federal bench, national Gay political organizations supported Judge Sotomayor’s nomination to the court. At least two senators –Republicans Sam Brownback and Tom Coburn – mentioned Gays in opposing Sotomayor’s nomination. They quoted President Obama’s remark that he wanted to nominate someone with “the empathy to understand what it’s like to be poor, or African-American, or Gay or disabled or old.” Brownback, Coburn, and many other Republicans argued that the president’s statement constituted an “empathy standard,” and claimed Judge Sotomayor must be inclined to assess her empathy with people before the court in rendering legal decisions. When asked about this during the confirmation hearing, Judge Sotomayor said she does “try very, very hard to ensure that, in my life, I introduce as much experience with other people’s lives as I can.” But when it comes to judging, she said, “We apply law to facts. We don’t apply feelings to facts.” As expected, Republican opponents of Sotomayor made frequent mention during the confirmation debate of an often-quoted speech Sotomayor made in which she said a “wise Latina woman” judge could come to a better conclusion “than a white male” judge. This, said some, indicates Sotomayor is a “racist.” Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) said Thursday that such claims of “bias” and “activism” are now code words for “not hard right.” Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, quoted Sotomayor’s remarks at the Berkeley speech in which she said judges “must transcend their personal sympathies and prejudices and aspire to achieve a greater degree of fairness and integrity based on the reason of law.” The final vote for confirmation was 68 to 31, largely along partisan lines. (Sen. Ted Kennedy was not in the Senate due to illness but expressed support for the nomination.) She replaces Justice David Souter, who announced his retirement earlier this year. While Gay organizations strongly opposed Souter’s nomination to the court, his record on Gay-related cases turned out to be strongly supportive of equal treatment for LGBT people under the law. The Human Rights Campaign endorsed Sotomayor, saying it was “encouraged” by her acceptance that the U.S. Constitution provides, implicitly, for a right to privacy. That right to privacy, said HRC, “lays the foundation for recognizing fundamental rights for LGBT people.” Arthur Leonard, a Gay legal scholar, wrote in a recent issue of his Lesbian/Gay Law Notes, that he has “looked through those of her published opinions (or cases where she was on a panel) that appeared to have some LGBT connection, and saw nothing that would alarm us.” Leonard noted that, as a member of the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Sotomayor, in 2006, was part of a three-judge panel “that was willing to entertain a hostile environment sexual harassment claim by a Gay man under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act using the sexual stereotyping theory.” The case was Miller v. City of New York and, wrote Leonard, “involved a ‘small, non-muscular man with a disability’ who alleged that his supervisor made his life miserable by claiming he was not a ‘real man’ or ‘manly man’ and subjecting him to verbal harassment and discriminatory assign-

ments.” The trial court had ruled against the man, saying sexual orientation discrimination was not covered under the federal law. The three-judge panel vacated that decision, citing the 1989 Supreme Court decision in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins. He also noted that Sotomayor had been part of a three-judge panel that vacated a lower court ruling that had enabled a New York borough president to pressure a billboard company to take down an anti-Gay message which a Staten Island church had sought to post. Leonard, in a memo to the New York City Bar Association, concluded that Sotomayor demonstrated “evenhandedness and respect for constitutional rights.” Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, issued a statement even before Sotomayor’s confirmation was complete, saying “Lambda Legal applauds the confirmation of Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States, and congratulates her on an historic appointment. Justice Sotomayor has excellent credentials and a proven record of understanding the law and Constitution, all of which have been recognized and highlighted throughout her confirmation process. When she takes her seat in September, Justice Sotomayor will become the third woman, and first Latina, appointed to the Court.” © 2009 Keen News Service

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The Human Rights Campaign launched a national, grassroots campaign called “No Excuses” last week. HRC officials say the campaign is designed to demand action for Congress on key issues of equality. The timing was not by mistake; HRC officials said “No Excuses” will take advantage of the congressional summer recess, when members are in their local offices and meeting with constituents. “No Excuses” will mobilize HRC’s 750,000 members and their allies to meet directly with lawmakers and push for federal legislative change. “While we salute and acknowledge the heroic members of Congress who have worked tirelessly on our behalf, far too many have dragged their feet on basic matters of fairness and equality and have lingered too long and hurt too many LGBT people and their families,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. According to Solmonese, using online tools, one-on-one trainings and staff and volunteer follow through, HRC members will press lawmakers to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), pass an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” pass immigration reform that recognizes permanent same-sex couples, and provide health benefits equally to the nearly 3 mil-

lion LGBT federal government employees, including same-sex domestic partners. “Yes, there are many challenges facing this Congress and this president,” Solmonese said. “But LGBT people often face additional hardship protecting their families, their loved ones and their jobs, and too few in Congress are willing to champion these issues of basic fairness.” Now more than ever, members of the LGBT community need to make their voices heard face-to-face and in the districts where they live, he said. The HRC interactive “No Excuses” website allows supporters to download a meeting toolkit, schedule a meeting, and report back on how it went. To get involved, visit www.noexcuses.hrc.org.

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