Issue 51 Volume 41
Celebrating 40 Years!
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
New Mexico Supremes OK same-sex marriages
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
In a unanimous decision, New Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled on December 19 that Gay and Lesbian couples have a right to marry in the state. “We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender cou-
bid or permit same-sex marriages, but marriage license application forms include spaces for “husband” and “wife.” The justices noted that many states previously banned interracial marriages as well. They said that, in order for the state to ban same-sex marriage, it would have to show that it had a substantial interest in preserving traditional
“We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law.” marriage. Supporters of a ban argued that the state has an interest in supporting procreation, and same-sex couples cannot procreate, an argument that Washington’s Supreme Court used in denying marriage equality in 2006, in Andersen v. King County. New Mexico’s Supreme Court rejected that argument, however. see new mexico page 16
AP Photo / Russell Contreras
ples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law,” Justice Edward L. Chavez wrote in the decision. Eight counties in New Mexico had already been issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but others had declined to do so. Officials of all 33 of the state’s counties jointly petitioned the state’s highest court to settle the issue. State law does not explicitly for-
Gail Stockman (l) and Beth Black prepare to marry at a massive wedding in Albuquerque, New Mexico in August.
Catholic school vice Take that, Russia! principal fired for U.S. Sochi delegation includes LGBT athletes same-sex marriage
see catholic page 4
see olympics page 8
courtesy be! magazine
decision.” A letter sent to students says that marrying a man “violated his employment contract.” The students, however, did not feel the same way as the Archdiocese and an amazing thing happened. As word spread throughout Eastside Catholic High School, students took their protest to social
In what is widely being interpreted as a deliberate snub to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House announced that the official U.S. delegation to the Sochi Olympics will include two openly Lesbian athletes. Tennis legend Billy Jean King, figure-skating gold medalist Brian Boitano, and two-time Olympic medalist in ice hockey Caitlin Cahow, will be among the dignitaries representing the U.S. at the Olympics opening ceremonies on February 7, 2014. While ceremonial delegations of this kind are usually headed by heads of state or their deputies, the U.S. delegation will be led by former Secretary of Homeland Security and current President of the University of California Janet Napolitano. (Vice President Joe Biden led the U.S. delegation to the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, and First Lady Michelle Obama headed the delegation to London in 2012.) National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said that the President’s schedule will not allow him to attend the games.
Students at Eastside Catholic and neighboring Catholic schools have begun organizing sit-ins in protest to the Seattle Archdiocese.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish fired Vice Principal Mark Zmuda by forcing him to resign because he married a man over the summer. The Archdiocese of Seattle ordered the firing of Mr. Zmuda and a school spokeswoman, Sister Mary Tracy told KING 5 “a church decision is not a school
chip somerville / getty images
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
President Barack Obama awarded Bille Jean King the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
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Celebrating 40 Years!
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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
Pennsylvania Representative Mike Fleck
by Mark Segal Philadelphia Gay News If you’ve read “PA’s first out lawmaker, one year later” about State Rep. Mike Fleck on the front page of this paper [Ed. note: the SGN reprinted the article in our 12/13/13 edition], there are two points that should jump out at you and give you pause: First, Pennsylvania has two out state representatives, one Democrat and one Republican. With pride, we are the only state that can claim that. Also, of note in the front-page story, a Gay-rights organization actually tried to keep a Gay man in the closet. Since day one of the movement for equality, we
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have fought for people to be out. If this is true, this organization should hang its head in shame. While I won’t ponder the reasons for, or even the evils of, that action, I will discuss the two aforementioned legislators. They are Brian Sims (D) and Mike Fleck (R), and both are up for re-election next year. For me, it’s simple: We as a community need to support both for re-election. Imagine the statement if two out representatives – one from a progressive district, one from a conservative district – are re-elected. That sends an incredibly powerful message to Harrisburg and has to send a shiver through a political party that has not always cared about our rights. Now, as for the two
December 20, 2013
out candidates ... Sims represents the most progressive district in the commonwealth. It is overwhelmingly Democrat. Therefore, if he wins the primary, he faces only token opposition from any Republican. Let’s be clear: There is little chance of any serious challenge to Sims. The popularity of his victory is a matter of pride for the community and, thus, any challenger faces a future of resentment from the LGBT community. This is not about Sims; his re-election is a validation of the LGBT community and what it has built. Anyone considering a run against Sims, 2014 is not the time. Anyone who does so should not be coming to my door in the future for support, and I’m sure many in the community feel the same. Fleck represents one of the most rural, conservative districts in the commonwealth. His bravery in coming out is only surpassed by his support of equality while in the legislature, before he outed himself. While many Republicans were outed by their own hypocrisy, Fleck proudly fought to out himself. It is sad that one of our own community organizations kept him from doing so earlier. Imagine the anguish that created. He is respected by his colleagues of both parties. He has serious re-election challengers, from where you’d expect – the right wing. Fleck’s victory would go a long way for tolerance and equality. Think of it, an out Gay man elected in a conservative district ... That is a strong message. The point is that while one candidate is a Democrat and one is a Republican, those of you who support one party over the other, as I do, might have differences with the other party, but that should not prevent us as a community from finally becoming pragmatic about our politics. If we do not have people who support our goal of equality in office, we’ll never gain equality. You cannot pass legislation with only one party. It takes both Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation. It is easier to be elected as an openly Gay Democrat than as a Republican. That is why Sims’ reelection is assured, and why the right wing is attempting to unseat Fleck. This is a time for us to unite as a community. Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. He can be reached at mark@ epgn.com. Reprinted with permission from Philadelphia Gay News.
Seattle Gay News
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Local news
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Ed Murray introduced his “Income Inequality Advisory Committee” and announced plans to raise Seattle’s minimum wage at a press conference on December 19. Income inequality “strikes at the very core of who we are as a democratic society,” Murray said. “Our city is becoming an unaffordable city for too many middle-class
courtesy geek wire
Ed Murray outlines plan for livable wage It will be chaired by David Rolf, president of SEIU 775NW, a union which represents many low-wage workers, and H.S. Wright III, founder and CEO of the Seattle Hospitality Group. SEIU 775NW was one of the driving forces behind SeaTac’s Prop 1, which established a $15 per hour wage for airport and hospitality workers. Also on the committee are City Council members Nick Licata and Bruce Harrell, and Council member elect Kshama Sawant,
“Seattle really is on the cusp of falling beyond the financial reach of too many of those who give our city its diverse character – of the very people who make this city run.” Seattle Mayor-elect Ed Murray
families, artists, students, young people, service-industry workers, immigrants new to the country.” Murray endorsed the goal of a $15 per hour minimum wage during his mayoral campaign, and said that raising wages to that level would be the first step in overcoming inequality. “Seattle really is on the cusp of falling beyond the financial reach of too many of those who give our city its diverse character – of the very people who make this city run,” he added. Murray’s advisory committee, which is made up of 23 labor, business, and political leaders, “is charged with delivering an actionable set of recommendations for increasing the minimum wage within the city of Seattle,” its mission statement says.
who made a $15 per hour minimum wage the centerpiece of her campaign. The committee is scheduled to report out a plan to meet the $15 per hour goal by May 2014. Murray said he wants to present a formal proposal to the City Council by the end of July. Between now and May, the advisory committee “will solicit public input, meet with stakeholder groups, and collect and research pertinent data to advise the Mayor and City Council on how best to increase minimum compensation levels for low-wage workers in Seattle.” “These individuals are not here as the latest installment of the Seattle process,” Murray said. “They are here to participate in a structured effort, within a defined timeframe, with clear goals and clear deadlines,
catholic
and the Catholic community, and we will protest.” According to Bradley Strode, the student body president at Eastside Catholic High School, the student body is overwhelmingly against the decision that Mr. Zmuda should resign. In fact, Strode told KIRO Radio 97.3, “There are a few people who believe that the right decision was made, but they are outnumbered by those who just think this is wrong.” Caelan Colburn, a senior at Eastside, was part of the original group that called the sit-in Thursday. She said, “Because there were so many of us there, it wasn’t like a goback-to-class kind of thing. It was more like an express yourself and get-your-feelingsout kind of thing.” Colburn said that students should rally together as a community. “They need to stand up for what they believe in, whether it’s what the administration teaches or what the Archdiocese preaches, being part of a progressive state like [Washington] we’ve come to a point where we accept Gay rights, accept homosexuals, and I think you ought Eastside Catholic School students protest the firing of vice-principal Mark Zmuda by to stand up for that no matter what anyone gathering on 228th Avenue Southeast Thursday morning, December 19. says. It’s your beliefs and you’re entitled to your own opinion. And today really showed Scheduled to speak are several student acBut we don’t care about that. This is about that Eastside Catholic is a family and not tivists, a former nun and more. the moral high ground. This is about the fact only is it a family but the entire community This event is not meant to somehow con- that a man, who fell in love with another of Seattle-area Catholic schools is a family.” fuse the notion that we don’t get that what man in a state where such unions are legal the Archdiocese did was legal. The public is married the person he loves and was then PROTEST ORGANIZED smarter than that. We know it was perfectly terminated from his job for doing so. That On Friday, December 20, at 2 p.m., Social within the Archdiocese’ legal right because cannot and will not stand. And the Catholic Outreach Seattle, otherwise known as SO- Mr. Zmuda, like all teachers and adminis- Church is going to hear this message loud Sea, will hold a protest outside the offices trators at these schools, sign a contract that and clear from the different generations in of the Archdiocese of Seattle (710 9th Ave.). says they will not violate Catholic doctrine. attendance.
continued from cover media, which then spread news of the ridiculous firing to other Catholic high schools and groups of four protesters soon became 150 or more, until finally, sit-ins began to take place at campuses across the state. After a few hours, media began to show up and that is where the story ends for now.
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Seattle Gay News
act on Murray’s promises, but stopped short of endorsing Sawant’s plans. “We’re confident that Mayor-elect Murray will lead a collaborative legislative process that will produce a progressive and bold proposal that the council will adopt,” Jackson wrote in an email. “However, we also believe that the issue may go to the ballot, and if it does, we’ll support the right ballot initiative.” Murray, for his part, reiterated the “bring people together” approach he emphasized in his campaign. “We can boost the earnings of low-wage workers in a meaningful way and increase the economic activity of the region that comes with greater spending power – and we can do it without harming our employers or losing jobs,” he said.
Courtesy of Josh Matte
Seattle Gay News Publisher and Editorin-Chief and longtime LGBT civil rights activist, George Bakan, said, “If there was ever any doubt that the kids of today weren’t going to get engaged in social justice, that doubt was erased today.” Bakan said that today’s action was inspiring and should have an impact nationally. “The younger generation has stood up to the boss and said, ‘No, we aren’t going to take this crap anymore.’” Zeena Geraldine, publisher and founder of LGBTQ online youth magazine “Be! Magazine,” told Seattle Gay News, “We need to tell the Archdiocese that their decision goes against the right and dignity of not only Zmuda, but of all LGBTQ+ people in their schools, parishes, and communities. By making school faculty have to make the decision between being happy with the person they love and keeping their job totally goes against Catholic teachings of love and acceptance.” “We are the voice of the Catholic church,” said Geraldine, who attends Holy Names Academy. “We are the future of the world
while driving toward a clear end-product – which is a proposal I can submit to City Council this summer.” Sawant held her own press conference on December 17, two days before Murray’s, at which she said she would release the details of her plan for a livable wage in January, but insisted that the $15 per hour wage be implemented in 2014. She said she held out hope that Murray and the City Council would act quickly, but added that if they did not do so, she would try to put an initiative on the ballot in November 2014. Joining Sawant at her press conference was SEIU 775NW vice-president Sterling Harders. SEIU spokesperson Jackson Holtz told SGN that his local would support “the right initiative” if the City Council failed to
December 20, 2013
Celebrating 40 Years!
Homeless youth by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Christmas Day is approaching and with each passing hour some of us will scramble to the nearest retailer to buy that last minute present we forgot to buy for that “somebody” that we can barely remember anything about anyway. But, it is the office Christmas Party after all, and you did draw their name. You wouldn’t want to look rude or uncaring would you? And so it goes. As it always does. “Somebody” will get “something” from you and it won’t matter one way or the other – except to save face at an inter-office party, school function, or what have you. This is not going to change. And that is not in the least bit my concern.
• 63 percent leave because of a conflict at home. • 39 percent report their family will not tolerate their presence for a variety of reasons. • 24 percent report parental substance abuse. • 19 percent say criminal activity. • 22 percent flee the risk of emotional abuse. • 7 percent say their sexual orientation is unacceptable to their parent or guardian. Homeless or not, there also exist major challenges for LGBTQ youth, like: • LGBTQ youth report double the rates of sexual abuse before age 12. • 1 in 2 experienced a negative reaction
Homeless LGBT youh are at increased risk of victimization and suffer higher rates of mental health problems and unsafe sexual behavior than their straight counterparts. My concern is, and if you’ll excuse the interjection of values, one that I hope becomes your concern by the time you are finished reading this editorial. There is somebody you forgot this year. There’s actually more than one, really. To be perfectly blunt, they make up 40 percent of all homeless youth; I am talking about LGBTQ homeless youth, of course. Don’t blush or be offended, because I’m sure you didn’t know. After all … you wouldn’t want to look rude or uncaring would you? But, now you know. Now, in my opinion, if you are able, you must do something. We are not going to wish or pray these kids out of harm’s way and into a warm home, with new clothes and a brand new car. Life is not a goddamned episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show or Touched by an Angel for that matter. Instead, for these youth, life is hard and if their lives were to mirror anything on television, it wouldn’t be network TV; you’d have to get cable, because what they see and what they go through isn’t as easy as a “feel good” message at the end of a family sitcom. Likewise, while many of these youth deal with sex and drugs (without the rock n’ roll), their lives also cannot be romanticized like the ghetto is in modern day films about street gangs, just like the way the mafia was propelled to pop culture popularity in the 1990s. All of that is amateur bullshit as far as these youth are concerned; that is b roll. Let me show why. Here are some numbers that should really get your blood boiling: • LGBT youth make up forty percent of homeless youth on the street each day, despite only 10 percent of the general population believed to be LGBT. • Thirteen kids die on the street each day. • Nearly 3 million young Americans are homeless and it is impossible to know how many undocumented young people are homeless at this point. • 1.7 million adolescents experience at least one episode of homelessness a year. • 1 in 3 Transgender youth will be turned away from a shelter due to their gender identity/expression.
from their parents when they came out. • 86 percent of Gay and Lesbian students surveyed report being verbally harassed at school due to their sexual orientation. • 22 percent surveyed LGBTQ students report being physically attacked in school; of those, 60 percent did not tell any authority figure about the incident because they believe no one would care. • 78 percent of Transgender youth are harassed in K-12. • 19 percent of Transgender people experience homelessness. If LGBTQ youth become homeless: • They are at increased risk of victimization and suffer higher rates of mental health problems and unsafe sexual behavior than their straight counterparts. • They have a 62 percent youth suicide rate. • 58 percent report they are sexually assaulted. • 82 percent pf homeless youth in a small study in Hollywood, California, reported at least one mental health problem. Substance abuse is another devastating problem for the general homeless youth population. There are things that you can do to help. Social Outreach Seattle, the social justice nonprofit that I founded and am currently president of, and many other local groups are working on this problem. There are three main reasons why LGBTQ youth stay on the streets; changing these conditions will likely be the key to solving homelessness:
tions. They are: • Encourage federal, state and local agencies to ensure that LGBTQ youth are placed in safe foster homes. • Designate funds to conduct studies that provide data about populations impacted by youth homelessness. Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) works with YouthCare, Lambert House and more recently, Roots Young Adults Shelter. Through our DON’T HATE, DONATE program, we’ve collected hundreds of pounds of nonperishable food items; winter clothing, toiletry products and more, to donate directly to the teens or families in need. What began as a response to the call for people to throw away or boycott Barilla pasta, turned into a full-fledged Social Outreach Seattle program. SOSea Vice President Sarah Toce thought it was a terrible idea to allow a pasta companies hate make someone throw away perfectly edible food when there are so many LGBTQ homeless youth and families on the street. So, she announced SOSea would gladly take Barilla products and donate them to homeless shelters in Seattle back in September. The response SOSea received was heartwarming as people came forward and began to donate other items like canned goods, Ramen noodles, etc. Soon we designated Monday afternoons from 4-7 p.m. as an official drop off time. But soon even that was not enough. We have officially partnered with WAI, or Washington Initiative, to produce actions
such as directly going to the homeless encampments and handing out water, first aid kits, food – you name it! Social Outreach Seattle is still accepting toiletries (tooth brushes, cotton swabs, deodorant, etc.), new and used cold weather clothing (jackets, gloves, winter hats), and nonperishable food items (canned soup, beef jerky, pasta). Place the items into a bag or plastic bin and bring it to the Social Outreach Seattle office at 1415 10th Ave Suite #1. To set up a drop off time/date call (206) 769-0238 or email socialoutreachseattle@ gmail.com and write DON’T HATE, DONATE in the subject line and we will help coordinate with you the best possible date/ time for all parties involved. We are collecting items until December 23; then we will sort them and give them to families in need, LGBTQ homeless youth and Seattle area shelters. There is one last thing you could do; these actions obviously cost SOSea more than just our time and talent. As a young social justice organization without the benefit of a giant mailing list and cultivated donors, we pinch pennies around here. But we are also quite creative. So, we decided that if people were going to donate to us, they’d better at least be entertained. So we recorded and released a Christmas music CD, Holiday Cheer Vol 1.000 You can download a copy of the CD at https://socialoutreachseattle.bandcamp. com/album/holiday-cheer-volume-1. For more information about Social Outreach Seattle, please visit us at www.socialoutreachseattle.com.
1. Affordable housing is scarce and LGBTQ discrimination in homeless shelters makes finding a home challenging. 2. An incomplete education makes it difficult for youth to secure work that pays a livable wage. 3. Drug abuse was cited as a key reason for remaining severely poor or homeless.
Hopefully, you’ve reached for this and are still with me at this point in the editorial. I would like for you to pledge that now, According to StandUp For Kids, a 501©3 armed with the information that there is a nonprofit organization that deals directly real need for change, to help; to do somewith the issue, young people frequently re- thing, to give a damn. port severe family conflict as the primary There are several methods for intervenreason for their homelessness. Here’s more: ing on behalf of homeless youth that have proved to be effective for other organiza-
Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches Visit us online www.sgn.org
December 20, 2013
Seattle Gay News
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balagan theatre
Jerick Hoffer gives a mind-blowing performance as Hedwig in 2004. Hoffer’s highly energetic performance stands beside Garrison’s deeply impassioned performance as top-notch and HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH peerless. Both of them are dynamic artists BALAGAN THEATRE who make Seattle proud. MOORE THEATRE This limited run performance is a holiThrough December 22 day treat, Capitol Hill style. The story of an You must go to the Moore Theatre be- American rock music obsessed “girlyboy” fore the dust settles from the rumble, shake, from East Berlin who gives a little of himby Paul Torres SGN Contributing Writer
Hoffer gives a visceral scream of a performance. In a production that is part monologue, part punk rock show, and part one-Trans act, he is able to engage and entertain a discerning Seattle audience on a level that will go down in history as a landmark in his career. snarl, and sneer of a mind-blowing performance by Jerick Hoffer/Jinkx Monsoon in the cult classic Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Moore Theatre. This is the second goround for this Balagan Theatre production, having played in Seattle at the beginning of this year. I was lucky enough to catch this musical at Re-bar with Nick Garrison
self to pursue a dream has been blasting venues for years now. John Cameron Mitchell’s rollicking vision was in movie theaters and stages around the world. Hoffer plays drag artist Hedwig searching for a home, for love, and for his other half. He is quite content with his make-up to make him pretty, eight-track tape music to ignite his senses, Jerick Hoffer in Hedwig and the Angry Inch
and midnight radio to lull him into dream. His long lost lover and protégé, rocker Tommy Gnosis, is a thief of his heart and his art. On stage, she is glamorous and guileless. Hedwig’s frank and edgy openness is sheer punk catharsis. Director Ian Bell spins golden performances from Hoffer and co-star Erin Stewart as the beleaguered Yitzhak, Hedwig’s backup singer/roadie/crony/foil/wife. Stewart is brilliant as the wind beneath Hedwig’s torn wings. The punk band, The Angry Inch, is comprised of local Seattle band members. Their music drives the primal soundtrack like blood gushing from a wound. Hoffer gives a visceral scream of a performance. In a production that is part monologue, part punk rock show, and part oneTrans act, he is able to engage and entertain a discerning Seattle audience on a level that will go down in history as a landmark in his career. It is one of those “I was there!” moments at the Moore. It would be like seeing Nirvana there in 1990. The myth of Kurt Cobain’s tragic rock music decadence is all
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Seattle Gay News
December 20, 2013
too appropriate here. Like the musical, where the focus is unapologetically about Hedwig, the key performer here is Hoffer. He owns every inch of the stage, angry or otherwise. Hoffer shreds the limelight in pounding rock numbers like “The Angry Inch.” You feel Hedwig’s fury. Hoffer bathes in the spotlight with the passionate rock ballad “The Origin of Love.” You feel Hedwig’s fervor. Hoffer is breathtakingly moving in the dramatic monologues about a grim childhood in Soviet-era East Berlin and his life of familial discord and unrequited love. After the dust settles from the rumble and shake, Seattle will have another noteworthy artistic achievement in its legendary vault. Jerick Hoffer/Jinkx Monsoon now belongs to the world, as we expect. Hoffer is a supernova. RuPaul knows it, the New Yorkers who saw The Vaudevillians off-Broadway know it, and soon little boys and girls living in trailers in some wicked little town in Kansas will know this.
Celebrating 40 Years!
national news Federal judge strikes down Utah anti-polygamy law by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A federal district judge struck down a key part of Utah’s anti-polygamy law on December 16. Judge Clark Waddoups said that the statute forbidding “cohabitation” violates the U.S. Constitution’s due process clause and the First Amendment’s guarantee of reli-
ing or other private places” and recognizes “an autonomy of self that includes freedom of thought, belief, expression and certain intimate conduct.” “To state the obvious,” Waddoups continued, “the intervening years [since 1976, when the law at issue was passed] have witnessed a significant strengthening of numerous provisions of the Bill of Rights.” They include, he wrote, enhancements
“While we know that many people do not approve of plural families, it is our family and based on our beliefs.” gious freedom. However, Waddoups said he would retain the ban on bigamy “in the literal sense – the fraudulent or otherwise impermissible possession of two purportedly valid marriage licenses for the purpose of entering into more than one purportedly legal marriage.” The suit had been filed by Kody Brown and his four wives – Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn – the stars of the TLC cable show “Sister Wives.” In a 91-page decision, Waddoups cited Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 Supreme Court case that struck down laws prohibiting sodomy. Quoting the majority opinion by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the judge said the Constitution protects people from “unwarranted government intrusions into a dwell-
JERRY HENKEL / Las Vegas Review-Journal
Victory for “Sister Wives” family
of the right to privacy and a shift in the Supreme Court’s posture “that is less inclined to allow majoritarian coercion of unpopular or disliked minority groups,” especially when “religious prejudice,” racism or “some other constitutionally suspect motivation can be discovered behind such legislation.” The Browns, who have 17 children, are members of a polygamist offshoot of the Mormon Church, known as the Apostolic United Brethren Church. Polygamy, or “plural marriage,” was long a tenet of the Mormon church. Brigham Young, for example, had 51 wives. When Utah applied for statehood at the end of the 19th century, however, Mormon leaders came under pressure to abandon the practice, and church president Wilford
Kody Brown and his wives (l-r) Meri, Janelle, Kody, Christine and Robyn
Woodruff banned it in 1890. The Utah legislature passed its first anti-polygamy statute soon after. While the vast majority of Mormons accepted Woodruff’s instructions and no longer practice polygamy, several small groups of so-called “Mormon fundamentalists” split off in order to continue plural marriage. In a statement released Friday, Brown said he and his family have waited years for what he called a “historical ruling.” “While we know that many people do not approve of plural families, it is our family and based on our beliefs,” he said. “Just as we respect the personal and religious choices of other families, we hope that in time all of our neighbors and fellow citizens will come to respect our own choices as part of this wonderful country of different faiths and beliefs.” “I cannot express my gratitude enough! What a wonderful day!” Robyn Sullivan Brown, one of Kody Brown’s wives, posted
A Texas county judge has blocked the city of Houston from giving benefits to the same-sex spouses of city employees. In an order issued December 17, Texas District Judge Lisa Millard ordered Hous-
objected to the city paying benefits to same-sex spouses. Houston mayor Annise Parker, an open Lesbian, announced in November that the city government will extend benefits to same-sex spouses of city employees when they have been married in states where it is legal to do so.
ton not to provide any benefits pending a January 6 hearing. Millard acted in response to a lawsuit filed by Harris County Republican Party chair Jared Woodfill, challenging Houston’s benefits plan. The judge’s injunction means spouses of city employees will be unable to schedule doctor visits or have prescriptions filled. If they have received care since the benefits took effect November 20, they may be forced to pay the full cost, even though the employees paid spousal premiums. City sources said that to date, only three couples had signed up for spousal benefits. Woodfill filed the suit on behalf of Jack Pidgeon and Larry Hicks, registered Houston voters and taxpayers, who
Plaintiffs in the suit allege that Parker’s decision violated the Houston city charter, the state Defense of Marriage Act, and the Texas Constitution. Millard said she issued the restraining order blocking the benefits because “Plaintiffs’ claims of statutory and constitutional injury and violation of the City of Houston’s Charter, present a substantial threat that irreparable injury would result if the temporary restraining order does not issue.” Parker spokesperson Janice Evans-Davis said late on December 17 that she was not aware of the judge’s order. “In the event an order was issued today, the city will seek its immediate reversal,” Evans-Davis said.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
The judge’s injunction means spouses of city employees will be unable to schedule doctor visits or have prescriptions filled.
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to continue to deny benefits to the same-sex spouses of our employees who are legally married,” Parker said in November when she announced the policy change. “This change is not only the legal thing to do, it is the right, just and fair thing to do.” Houston joined other Texas cities including Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, and San Antonio in offering benefits to samesex partners of city employees. However, Houston is the only city with a charter amendment prohibiting domestic partner benefits, and so Parker had to limit the offer to married spouses. The Houston GLBT Political Caucus issued a statement after Millard’s ruling calling the lawsuit part of the Harris County GOP’s “malicious assault on equality for LGBT Texans.” “The Harris County GOP doesn’t care how many hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars are wasted on this frivolous lawsuit,”said Caucus President Noel Freeman. “Heading into an election year, this isn’t about marriage or taxpayer funding of benefits, it’s about turning out social conservative voters.” Woodfill is up against a popular, wellfunded opponent in the March primary. Millard is also up for re-election. file photo
Texas judge blocks Houston DP benefits
Friday on Twitter. “I feel blessed beyond belief tonight. No words can express how I love being free!” tweeted Christine Brown, another of Kody Brown’s wives. Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor who represented the Browns, called the ruling a victory for privacy as well as polygamy. “What it means is these families can now walk out in public and be a plural family and not be afraid of being put under investigation or threatened with the loss of their children,” Turley said. “Homosexuals and polygamists do have a common interest: the right to be left alone as consenting adults,” Turley added, in reference to the judge’s citation of the Lawrence case. “There is no spectrum of private consensual relations – there is just a right of privacy that protects all people so long as they do not harm others.”
Judge Lisa Millard
In 2001, Houston voters approved a charter amendment banning domestic partner benefits. The amendment states, “Except as required by State or Federal law, the City of Houston shall not provide employment benefits, including health care, to persons other than employees, their legal spouses and dependent children.” Parker and Feldman say the amendment explicitly allows benefits for legal spouses. “Based on the right to equal protection under the law, it is unconstitutional for the city
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A male resident of North Dakota may marry a woman even if he is already married to another man, the state’s Attorney General ruled on December 12. North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said that since his state bans same-sex marriage by state law and state constitutional amendment, no Gay or Lesbian couple is considered legally married in the state, and, therefore, any resident of the state could marry an opposite-sex partner regardless of having married a same-sex partner in another state. Stenehjem also found that a resident with a same-sex spouse would not be committing a crime in North Dakota if he or she filled out a marriage license application as “single/never married.” The Attorney General declined to discuss whether he could be prosecuted for bigamy in another state if he later moved to a state that recognized same-sex marriage. The issue came to Stenehjem in a round about way. A man who would only identify himself by his first name called Burleigh County Recorder Debbie Kroshus, the official in charge of issuing marriage licenses, and asked if he could marry a woman in
North Dakota if he was already married to a man in another state. “I didn’t ask where this caller was calling from or where he planned on getting a marriage license,” Kroshus told Reuters. She added she could not determine if the man had already applied for a marriage license. The man could not divorce his husband in North Dakota because the state does not recognize the validity of same-sex marriage, and he said his husband also lives in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriage, Kroshus said. Kroshus then asked the state’s attorney from Burleigh County to seek an opinion from the Attorney General. De Paul University law professor Jeffrey Shaman told Reuters that more and more people will enter into same-sex marriages and move to other states as the recognition of same-sex marriage increases. And samesex couples, like opposite-sex couples, will part ways. “I think there are going to be more and more of these questions,” Shaman said. “Although this is pretty extreme in its complexity, situations like these do arise because of the nature of our country,” Shaman added. “We are a federation and states have authority to enact laws as they see fit.” In his opinion, Stenehjem referenced the
Lesbian student sues Mississippi school district for harassment
file photo
North Dakota OKs Bisexual plural marriage
North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem
Courtesy of the SPLC
part of DOMA that says states need not recognize a same-sex marriage performed in another state, a part that was not struck down in the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Windsor. The North Dakota Attorney General’s
opinion came a day before a federal judge struck down a portion of Utah’s bigamy law, saying it bars consenting adults from living together and criminalizes their intimate sexual relationships.
For the first three days of school, she was repeatedly referred to as “he” by teachers even though she told them she was a “she.” Holmes said teachers and students called her “it,” “queer,” “freak,” “alien,” “dyke” and “he-she,” and teachers denied her access to the girls’ restroom. “They don’t even know me,” Holmes, who is now homeschooled, said during the press conference. Holmes said the bullying made her withdraw and even feign sickness to avoid school. “I loved being with friends and going to school before I was being bullied,” she said. “This isn’t right, and it isn’t fair.” Jennifer Holmes, Destin’s grandmother, said the family tried to make the school address the harassment, but the administrators “showed no sympathy” and the school board ignored phone calls and written requests for meetings.
“It’s frustrating to watch a child suffer and not be able to help her,” the grandmother said, noting Destin was “living a nightmare.” Several LGBT students told the SPLC that school administrators told them to simply “suck it up” after they reported bullying. In March, SPLC sent the school district a demand letter asking for relief from harassment. The district should immediately develop a plan to correct the issue, the letter said, or face a federal lawsuit. In response to the letter, the district said it would conduct an investigation, but otherwise would have no comment. SPLC has filed a number of successful suits against hate groups, notably one, which bankrupted the Aryan Nations organization and led to the seizure of their compound in Hayden Lake, Idaho. The group was formed in 1971 to provide legal assistance to victims of the Ku Klux Klan.
olympics
It’s a great platform.” Cahow, who won medals at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics, told USA Today that a statement was being made in the composition of the delegation, but that it was “an incredibly respectful one.” “Basically, the White House is highlighting Americans who know what it means to have freedoms and liberties under the constitution,” she said. LGBT organizations also responded with enthusiasm to the appointments. “It’s a positive sign to see openly Gay representatives in the delegation,” said HRC spokesperson Michael Cole-Schwartz. “Hopefully, it sends a message to the Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil and human rights of LGBT people.” All Out spokesperson Andre Banks added that President Obama was sending out a strong message to Putin. “What it’s doing is showing the true power of the Olympics, the ability to move people, to change people’s minds and open them up to new ways of thinking. The delegation is shining a light on the values of the Olympics,” he said. Brian Boitano, who previously shied away from discussing his sexual orientaion, came out on December 19.
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Destin Holmes
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed a federal lawsuit December 17 on behalf of a Lesbian student who says she was harassed by her Mississippi school. Destin Holmes, says that as a student at Magnolia Junior High School in the Moss Point, Mississippi, school district, she and other LGBT students were regularly targeted by teachers as well as other students. SPLC attorney Sam Wolfe said a studentrequested investigation revealed a pervasive anti-LGBT environment in the Moss Point school district that is propagated by students, teachers, and even administrators. “Students face enough obstacles in school without also enduring violence and abuse for simply being different,” Wolfe said.
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Seattle Gay News
“They are entitled by law to attend school in an environment where they are not singled out and tormented because of their sexual orientation or gender nonconformity.” As an example, Holmes recounted an episode in which her math teacher divided the class into two teams – boys vs. girls – but ordered Holmes to sit alone in the middle. “She told me since she didn’t know what I was, I should be on a team of my own,” Holmes said during a press conference organized by SPLC. Holmes, who attended the junior high for one semester during the 2011-2012 school year, said she was forced to leave the school after being incessantly tormented by peers and faculty members. She sought help from her principal, she said, but the principal told her, “I don’t want a dyke in this school.”
December 20, 2013
“The U.S. Delegation to the Olympic Games represents the diversity that is the United States,” she added. “All our delegation members are distinguished by their accomplishments in government service, civic activism, and sports. We are proud of each and every one of them and think they will serve as great ambassadors of the United States to the Olympic Games.” King, a personal friend of President Obama, said she was honored to be chosen. “I am equally proud to stand with the members of the LGBT community in support of all athletes who will be competing in Sochi and I hope these Olympic Games will indeed be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people,” she said. Now 70, King added she regrets not being “21 again and in the Olympics” herself, but hopes athletes will follow the examples of John Carlos and Tommie Smith, who defiantly raised their fists in a Black Power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. “I think there’s watershed moments, benchmarks,” King said. “I would hope the majority of the athletes would speak out.
Celebrating 40 Years!
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Celebrating 40 Years!
northwest news
NOTE: See this week’s holiday events This event is free (except for the cost of calendar in Section 2 for details on special beverages) and is for all HIV-Positive men holiday-related events. and their friends, regardless of age, shape, size, or color. NOTE: To help with overhead HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH costs, a voluntary $3 donation is requested BALAGAN THEATRE (no one turned away for lack of funds). THE MOORE THEATRE POZSeattle is a social organization run THRU DECEMBER 22 for and by Seattle-area HIV-positive guys www.stgpresents.org. See SGN’s review that is committed to planning and promotof this production on page 6 of this section. ing fun, social activities. www.pozseattle.org IMPERIAL COURT OF SEATTLE & KNIGHTS OF MANTRA CHRISTMAS SHOW On Saturday, December 21, doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m., at R Place (619 E. Pine St.), join the Imperial Court of Seattle and the Knights of Mantra for their annual Christmas show. $5 suggested donation. www.imperialcourtofseattle.com and on Facebook. SEATTLE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH – FREE CHRISTMAS CONCERTS On Saturday, December 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, December 22, at 1 p.m., Seattle First Baptist Church (1111 Harvard Ave. at E. Union St.) presents two free Christmas concerts titled “Child of Peace.” On Wednesday, December 24, Seattle First Baptist Church will host a candlelight Christmas Eve intergenerational service at 5:30 p.m. and choral service at 10:30 p.m. Seattle First Baptist Church is an open and affirming church with a history of social activism: “A place to warm your heart ... and stretch your soul.” www.SeattleFirstBaptist.org POZ SEATTLE – “HOLIDAY CHEER!” CHRISTMAS DAY SOCIAL On Wednesday, December 25, from 6-8 p.m., at C.C. Attle’s (1701 E. Olive Way at Boylston Ave. E.), join POZSeattle for drinks, socializing, and a whole lot of fun, and sample the great holiday sweets and desserts prepared by CC’s kitchen crew.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW – A BENEFIT FOR GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT On Saturday, December 28, doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., at Showbox at the Market (1426 1st Ave.), Chandelier Productions teams up with Gay City Health Project to deliver a one-night-only live staged benefit performance of the original cult classic phenomenon, The Rocky Horror Show. See it like you’ve never seen it before! Bikers! Gorgeous go-go girls! Transsexuals from another planet! All through the lens of classic 1960s and ‘70s grindhouse cinema and Pacific Northwest garage rock. This cult classic phenomenon tells the story of two naive lovers, Brad and Janet, who just want to use the goddamn telephone. It starts with a flat tire, but ends with an orgy of sex and death. Seeking shelter from a thunderstorm in an old castle, they find themselves thrust into the laboratory of pansexual, crossdressing mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his gang of sadistic minions. Stripped of their inhibitions – and their clothes – Brad and Janet embark on a wild, unforgettable odyssey of carnal pleasures and self-discovery. Reality, fiction, and camp collide in this mash up of rock and roll, grindhouse, and late-night horror flicks. Tickets: $20-$28 advance; $30 day of show. Must be 21+. www.chandelierproductions.org; www.gaycity.org NOTE: Thank you for respecting our cast and venue. Come dressed as your favorite character, but remember: audience participation in the form of water pistols, rice and fire is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. – The Management.
James Raymond Ott October 1, 1938 - December 19, 2013
James Ott was born on October 1, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan. He passed away peacefully in his home on December 19, 2013 with family and friends at his side. He is predeceased by his parents, his brother, Joe Ott, and long-time partner, Dave Davis. He is survived by his brother, Frank Ott of Cincinnati, Ohio. Jim was a Maritime Merchant Marine for more than thirty years, working as a purser and social director for various cruise and container shipping lines, including Matson, Delta and American President Line. For the last ten years he worked for the Seafarers International Union in Tacoma, Washington, where he was well liked by his loyal co-workers. Jim has been active in many community service organizations, giving generously of his time and talents helping others. He was a member of St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Tacoma, WA. There he was very active in the church’s Feeding the Hungry Program. Jim bought and donated biscuits and gravy to add to the meals of hundreds of people. He never missed helping with Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for the homeless. The Northwest Bears club embraced Jim as an active member and he enjoyed camping and participating actively in the club, where he enjoyed the friendship of all. Most recently, Jim was presented with the Northwest Bear’s 2013 Humanitarian of the Year Award. Jim served on the board of the club for several terms. He took responsibility for setting up all the potlucks, picnics, brunches, and numerous other special events. He donated his travel expenses in setting up
the events and provided transport for members who had no other means of travel. He often donated gifts, extra food and supplies for club functions. He was involved in both Spring Thaw and Kamp Kodiak committees. Jim took on fundraising for the club and was involved each year in the Christmas Family program. Whenever the club needed him, Jim stood tall. In addition to his devoted membership in the Northwest Bears, Jim donated time and energy to Seattle Men in Leather (a Gay men’s social group), Knights of Mantra, Olympians, South End Alliance, and others. Jim was a friend to all and gave generously of himself to help anyone who needed it. He prided himself on providing hospitality to all of his friends – any time and in any way. He was a true humanitarian. He took pride in his country; he flew the flag in front of his home. He believed in America and prayed for its future. Friends and family thank the Allenmore Hospice Team for the special care and services provided to Jim in his final battle with pancreatic cancer. Jim will be missed by all of his friends and family. He was loved and will be remembered by all of those whose lives he touched. Rest in Peace, Jim. Services for Jim will be at St. Leo’s Catholic Church (710 S. 13th St., Tacoma, WA) on Monday, December 23, 2013 at 12:10 p.m., followed by a graveside service at Haven of Rest Cemetery (8503 State Route 16 NW, Gig Harbor, WA). Viewing will be at 11:00 a.m. at St. Leo’s. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Leo’s Catholic Church Feeding the Hungry Program.
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compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
Holiday recycling tips
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Americans throw out 25 percent more trash than any other time of the year. Here are a few tips on where to dispose of your holiday-related waste in Seattle: Styrofoam packaging CANNOT be recycled in your recycling cart. Many local mail houses accept packing peanuts for reuse; Styro Recycle in Renton will accept styrofoam for recycling. Otherwise, place in garbage, but place the peanuts in a bag first so they don’t litter the neighborhood. Cardboard goes in your recycling cart. Flatten it first. If it doesn’t fit, place it flattened next to your cart on collection day at no extra charge. Ribbons and bows go in the garbage. It’s best to reuse them! Gift wrap goes in the recycling. It’s even better to reuse it. DON’T burn it in your fireplace. Those pretty green flames are toxic! Greeting cards, catalogs and envelopes: Recycle, even the envelopes with the plastic windows, or the letters with staples. Batteries CANNOT be recycled in your recycling cart. Alkaline batteries can go in the garbage (or visit see information below). All the others are hazardous and are not allowed in recycling, yard waste or garbage. You can find places throughout Seattle that can recycle all varieties of batteries at www. rbrc.org or 1-800-8-BATTERY.
Burned out holiday lights can be only be recycled at certain locations. Google Seattle Public Utilities and search for “holiday light recycling” for details. Otherwise, place them in the garbage. Cardboard eggnog containers go in recycling. Empty and rinsed out, of course. Electronics CANNOT be recycled or placed in the garbage because they contain hazardous materials. Go to www.ecyclewashington.org or www.takeitbacknetwork. org for convenient locations to drop off your old TVs, monitors and computers. It’s best to use up what you have, donate items in good condition that you no longer need, and purchase items with little or no packaging. Want to learn where other stuff should be disposed? Visit www.seattle.gov/util/lookitup to find out! Follow SPU on Twitter: www.twitter. com/SeattleSPU. In addition to providing a reliable water supply to more than 1.3 million customers in the Seattle metropolitan area, SPU provides essential sewer, drainage, solid waste and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the city’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region’s environmental resources. Courtesy of Seattle Public Utilities
Free holiday tree composting December 26 - January 12 Seattle residents who subscribe to curbside food and yard waste collection can put their trees and greens out on their regular collection day at no extra charge from Dec. 26, 2013 through Jan. 12, 2014. Multi-family buildings can put out one tree next to each food and yard waste cart per collection day at no extra charge during this time. Trees should be cut into sections of six feet long or shorter, with branches trimmed to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Sections should be bundled with string or non-plastic twine. Metal, plastic and ornaments in trees and wreaths must be removed. Trees that are flocked and/or have tinsel or ornaments will be collected as extra garbage. Customers will need to cut the tree into three-foot pieces and each piece will be charged as extra garbage. Each unit of extra garbage costs $10.20. Plastic trees are not compostable. Seattle residents can also drop off holiday trees and greens for free at Seattle Public Utilities’ North and South Recycling and Disposal Stations from Dec. 26, 2013 through Jan. 12, 2013. The tree sections must be cut to eight feet or less in length and
the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees and wreaths without flocking or decoration may be composted free of charge. The North Recycling and Disposal Station is located at 1350 North 34th Street. The South Recycling and Disposal Station is located at 130 S. Kenyon St. The stations are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., other than selected holidays. Regular residential food and yard waste collection rates resume on Monday, January 13, 2014. The fee for extra yard waste is $4.90 per unit. Follow SPU on Twitter: www.twitter. com/SeattleSPU.
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In addition to providing a reliable water supply to more than 1.3 million customers in the Seattle metropolitan area, SPU provides essential sewer, drainage, solid waste and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the city’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region’s environmental resources. Courtesy of Seattle Public Utilities
health and medicine
Kiki with D Who should pay? by D Smith SGN Contributing Writer Dear Kiki With D, I’m a single, 30-year-old Gay male. Saturday night before last, I met a guy who’s 12 years my senior. We spoke on the phone a few times, and on Monday he was persistent and asked me out to dinner. When the bill came, he paid just his half. I was taken aback by this. Since he invited me, shouldn’t he have at least offered to pay the whole bill? Granted, I’m not someone who expects others to pay my way; however, good manners and etiquette dictate that the inviter/ host should have paid or offered to pay. I would have offered to pay my half or the whole thing. Am I being too old-fashioned, or does eti-
quette not apply to Gay relationships where the passive (female) and active (male) roles do not apply? Also, did my having him go with me to the ATM (I was short on cash and had a feeling something like this might happen) affect his decision in not offering to pay? He’s interested in me, but I don’t know if I should pursue this relationship. Good manners mean a lot to me, and I don’t know if I can introduce him to my friends and family. After all, the first impression tells you a lot about a person. – Mixed Signals Dear Mixed Signals, First impressions are very important. Now let’s take a look at his possible first impression of you. For him, his was of you at the ATM right before dinner. The gentleman
likely assumed that either you intended to pay for your meal, or you were planning a quick getaway afterward. You are correct that the person initiating the invitation should pay. Please forget about that active-passive angle. Everyone else has. Your new friend could easily have been confused by your actions and not wanted to offend. I suggest you give him the benefit of the doubt and invite him on another date.
This time you should pay – and if he protests, say, “No, no, I invited you.” If he is the gentleman you hope him to be, he will understand for next time. This will give you the opportunity to reevaluate the situation. Hope this helps. Remember, be true to you, love yourself, encourage yourself and others. –D
by Sugie SGN Contributing Writer
lieve me, I knew that I was in good company, for Tom Hanks, “Mr. Back to Back Academy Awards” recently found out he had Diabetes, Type 2. My primary care doctor informed me that I could manage my high blood sugar without medication with lots of exercise and
How high or low is your blood sugar, Sugar? “I have Diabetes Type 2?” I asked my endocrinologist (thyroid doctor) with great surprise in my voice. I knew that I had high blood sugar, thanks to the side effect of a
My primary care doctor informed me that I could manage my high blood sugar without medication with lots of exercise and watching my sugar intake. Also, I was to count carbohydrates, like those found in potatoes, bread and pretzels (!) because carbohydrates are turned into sugar by the body. medication I was currently taking. I even had a blood sugar meter, and faithfully took my blood sugar content at least three times a week. The doctor offered to put me on a blood sugar medication known as Januvia, yet my insurance refused to pay for it. Be14 Seattle Gay News
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watching my sugar intake. Also, I was to count carbohydrates, like those found in potatoes, bread and pretzels (!) because carbohydrates are turned into sugar by the body. Now, I take my blood sugar glucose on a daily basis. I feel much lighter not eating
Celebrating 40 Years!
sugary things like brownies, cookies and pecan pie! I even found an ice cream that only has five grams of sugar! How it all works is one can take one’s blood sugar glucose before a meal. If the blood glucose level is 110 and below, one should be feeling really good. Usually, one takes the blood glucose levels one hour after a meal. If the level is 140 and below, this shows one is following good dietary guidelines. Steel Magnolia It is so strange that in a drama class I took at Bellevue Community College, I played the role of a Type1 Diabetic from a scene from the movie, Steel Magnolias. I played the Julia Roberts part. To prepare for the role, my drama teacher had me read a book on diabetes. To clarify things, I must point out that Diabetes Type 1 is diagnosed when one has an insulin deficiency. The symptoms are excessive thirst, constant hunger, and one goes to the bathroom more than
usual. In one scene, Julia Roberts has some kind of convulsion due to the fact that her blood sugar was really low. She is given something sugary to eat so her blood sugar returns to a more comfortable level. New Beginning Do I miss having sugary things to eat all the time? I must admit, a little bit! Yet, I know I must continue on my healthful regime to avoid any long-term complications of heart disease, strokes, my eyesight being affected, kidney failure, and not good circulation in the limbs. Good news: I had a small piece of pecan pie at Thanksgiving. I took my blood glucose when I got home, and a respectable level showed up on my meter. What would my dear departed Mother have to say about this? I can see her smiling from Heaven, and she would say some words attributed to John Donne, a famous philosopher: “A man’s reach should accede his grasp, or what’s a Heaven for?”
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2013: The best of times ... by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer A few years ago, I wrote a piece about Section 377, part of a code of law drafted by the newly-formed British government of India. Written by the historian Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay, Section 377 decreed that “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. … Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offense described in this section.” India’s Section 377 became the model for
similar laws in other British colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania. Though the United Kingdom has long since abolished its own sodomy laws, 35 of its former colonies still have sodomy laws modeled after Section 377: “Half the world’s countries that criminalize homosexual conduct do so because they cling to Victorian morality and colonial laws,” noted Scott Long, director of the Human Rights Watch’s LGBT Rights Division. In 2009, the Delhi High Court ruled that Section 377 of India’s penal code was unconstitutional. Religious groups appealed that decision to India’s Supreme Court. On December 11 that Supreme Court overturned the 2009 decision, ruling that only the Indian Parliament had the right to change the penal code. All of a sudden,
tens of millions of Indian men – Section 377 only applies to male sexual activity – became, once again, potential criminals. “This verdict is remarkable and bizarre,” social scientist Sanjay Srivastava told the BCC. “How can a court take away a fundamental right which has been already given to people? It is a huge setback for the Gay community. And it makes India look thoroughly stupid internationally.” Though obviously disappointed, India’s Naz Foundation, which filed the original lawsuit, vow to fight the decision. “We feel very let down,” said Naz’s Anand Grover. “But our fight is not over and we will continue to fight for the constitutional right.” “We cannot be forced back into the closet,” Gautam Bhan said. “We are not backing off from our fight against discrimination.” The ruling by India’s Supreme Court capped a roller coaster year, which brought the worldwide LGBT community many victories and many defeats. This was the year of United States v. Windsor, in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that Section 3 of the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional. Edith Windsor, the Lesbian widow who filed that lawsuit, was second runner-up for Time magazine’s Person of the Year, after Pope Francis and whistle blower Edward Snowden. Several U.S. states and foreign countries legalized same-sex marriage, bringing the total up to 16 states (and the District of Columbia) and 16 countries. On the other hand, the Russian Federation continued its homophobic tradition, passing a law that bans the “promotion of homosexuality to minors.” On December 1 voters in Croatia passed a
referendum banning Gay marriage in the European Union’s newest member. And, on the same day India’s Supreme Court made its decision, the High Court of Australia ruled that same-sex marriages in the Australian Capital Territory are invalid. Though it was not as drastic as the decision in India – this ruling only affected 27 same-sex couples – the Australian High Court ruling was nevertheless a setback. So, was 2013 a good year or a bad year, for LGBT people around the world? To paraphrase Charles Dickens, 2013 was “the best of times and the worst of times.” It all depends on what country you live in. Though LGBT rights advanced in North America, South America, Western Europe, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and (in spite of the High Court decision) Australia, they suffered a big setback in India while stagnating in the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, the non-Israel Middle East and much of Asia. Even in “liberal” western nations LGBT people continue to suffer from homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination. And all over the world, in spite of Pope Francis, organized religion continues to be our number one enemy. What will 2014 be like? It will probably be much like 2013, with its share of victories and defeats. This means that we must continue to fight for our rights, here and everywhere else. We must not let our victories deceive us or our defeats disillusion us. And whatever our personal condition is, we must not forget that whatever happens to our sisters and brothers in other countries affects us as well. We are one human family and we must act accordingly.
new mexico
marriage statutes are gender neutral and do not expressly prohibit Doña Ana County from issuing marriage licenses to same-gender couples,” County Clerk Lynn Ellins said at the time. “Any further denial of marriage licenses to these couples violates the United States and New Mexico Constitution and the New Mexico Human Rights Act. Doña Ana County is upholding New Mexico law by issuing these marriage licenses, and I see no reason to make committed couples in Doña Ana County wait another minute to marry.” Approximately two-dozen same-sex couples received licenses that day, and about 90 couples by Friday, August 23, including some from the neighboring state of Texas. By the end of August, seven more counties were issuing same-sex licenses, including some 58% of New Mexico’s population. Several lawsuits followed, including one by Republican state legislators seeking to block same-sex marriages.
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“Procreation has never been a condition of marriage under New Mexico law, as evidenced by the fact that the aged, the infertile, and those who choose not to have children are not precluded from marrying,” Chavez wrote. The Supreme Court decision validates the ruling of a lower state court in Albuquerque that it is a violation of New Mexico’s constitution to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples. That judge based his decision on a 1972 constitutional amendment adopted by voters that prohibits discrimination “on account of the sex of any person.” Dona Ana County was the first to begin issuing marriage licenses to Gay and Lesbian couples on August 21. Lynn Ellins, announced the change of policy, stating, “After careful review of New Mexico’s laws it is clear that the state’s
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December 20, 2013
Celebrating 40 Years!
A Washingtonian Yankee in King Solomon’s Court just breaks down and cries,” went one of my fellow eighth grader’s compositions in honors English. The year was 1967. Sergeant It’s the winter of Christmas love, man Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band had just “And the man with the candle flame eyes, been released by the Beatles. “The man with the candle flame eyes,” was a reference to Jesus Christ, the man whom Christmas had been named after. The song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” offered the line, “the girl with kaleidoscope eyes,” which had inspired my 8th grade classmate to carol about “the man with the candle flame eyes.”
by Sugie SGN Contributing Writer
Let’s talk about the ghost of Christmas past What am I trying to say? Today, in the 21st Century, Christmas has turned into a mere shadow of the original holiday. Let’s all remember how the Three Wise Men brought gifts of frankincense and myrrh to the Christ Child, who lay wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger. That is how the custom of gift giving originated. Hanging stockings “by the chimney with care” came later when Father Christmas, alias Sinter Klaus, would leave a lump of coal in your stocking to show if you had been a bad or good boy or girl. How can you forget those three chipmunks, Alvin, Theodore and Simon? One of my favorite Christmas songs was sung by the cartoon characters, the three chipmunks, Alvin, Theodore and Simon. They harmonized on, “Hurry Christmas,
hurry fast. Want a train that loops the loop.” This song was more about receiving than giving, which to me embodies the true Christmas Spirit. “What’s it all about, Susan, is it just for the moment?” Christmas has become so commercialized that the Santa Claus in my favorite shopping mall has made his appearance in the third week of November instead of coming down the chimney in December. What I like best about Christmas is when I give someone a present and it is like giving myself that very present. “It is more blessed to give than it is to receive,” wrote the ancient men whose words led us on a journey through the Bible. Now that you have heard this Washingtonian Yankee in King Solomon’s Court, may you savor that “Figgy pudding and bring it right now.” Perhaps you’ll give an extra dollar to your special charity down “Santa Claus Lane.” “And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
December 20, 2013
Seattle Gay News 17
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“O Captain, My Captain” – A Tribute to Nelson Mandela by Sugie SGN Contributing Writer “Exalt O shores and ring O bells! / But I with mournful tread, / Walk the deck my Captain lies, / Fallen cold and dead.” Walt Whitman wrote those lines in 1865, as a tribute to the great President Abraham Lin-
released from prison, Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa in 1994. One of his many accomplishments include being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. You know, I could go on for pages upon pages about this most remarkable man. Yet, I must share a personal reminisce about
And now the great leader rests. Yet, the causes he fought for, went to prison for, and served as president for, will go on even after I, too, am laid in the ground.
Nelson Mandela
“The Times, They Are A-Changing!” by Sugie SGN Contributing Writer Bob Dylan wrote those prophetic words the year I turned 10 years old in 1964. Little did I know that 49 years later I would be writing on the topic of Gay marriage. I would like to point out that I am as straight as straight can be. I have a wonderful boyfriend and we are traveling on a good ship toward the future. My editor, George Bakan, asked me to write on the topic of Gay mar-
coln. These heartfelt lines can only sum up how I feel about the death of Nelson Mandela. He died on December 5, 2013, living to be a hearty 95 years young. Nelson Mandela crashed through many racial barriers before and after his presidency of South Africa. He was the first black president that South Africa had ever had. He presided with a trademark smile and an iron thumb that none could bend. His presidency of South Africa lasted from 1994 until 1999. Let us observe the many leaves upon Nelson Mandela’s Tree of Life. He was in prison for 27 years. He was serving a sentence for actively being involved in the anti-Apartheid movement. When he was
“Madiba,” a nickname for Nelson Mandela. When I saw Paul Simon performing his Graceland Concert on video, about twenty years ago, he had this Native African artist perform a song about Nelson Mandela, even mentioning his name in the song! My heart stirred with pride, as much now as it did back then, when I first heard the song performed. And now the great leader rests. Yet, the causes he fought for, went to prison for, and served as president for, will go on even after I, too, am laid in the ground. Goodbye for now, Nelson Mandela. I’ll see you when my spirit smiles at you in Heaven.
first “steady” at age 12! Anyway, even though I might be in the minority, I like to see Gay people happy, and if that is what makes a Gay couple happy by saying their wedding vows, so be it! I would imagine that if my own mother were still alive, she might challenge my position on Gay marriage. I would say to her, “Mom, everybody deserves a chance at happiness, be they heterosexual or Gay.” I believe the wedding aisle is wide enough for everyone. So I challenge all of you
I would imagine that if my own mother were still alive, she might challenge my position on Gay marriage. I would say to her, “Mom, everybody deserves a chance at happiness, be they heterosexual or Gay.” riage, and at first, I drew a blank. I am all for people, of any sex, getting together for the sake of legalizing their love. I used to tell people that I was “hopelessly heterosexual.” Now, I would tell them I am heterosexual, yet hopeful for the Gays in the future. As I was growing up in the swinging sixties, I read as an adolescent, “Ann Landers Talks to Teens about Sex.” There was a chapter on Homosexuality. Basically, it said, some people choose one lifestyle over another, and no one knows why, whether it’s environment or hereditary – something in one’s genes. All I know is that my parents raised me to be open-minded, and I had my
straights out there – think before you speak and pray before you act. (I got the previous slogan from an Alanon meeting, where one goes if one lives with an alcoholic.) My InStyle Magazine reported on the wedded bliss of the T.V. star Neil Patrick Harris and his lover and their new twins that populate their household. So, if major magazines can talk openly about Gay couples, then the world must be opening a new door slowly. Some people open their doors faster than others. I can only speak about my own door, which is wide open for change with hopes that other straight people will follow suit.
18 Seattle Gay News
December 20, 2013
Celebrating 40 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
December 20, 2013
Seattle Gay News 19
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