Celebrating 43 Years! Issue 7 Volume 45
20 years of RENT: Skyler Volpe interview
Seattle Asian American Film Fest.
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Ed Murray wins key union State Supreme Court endorsement rules against anti-LGBT Richland florist
Mayor Ed Murray – Photo by AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle Mayor Ed Murray won a key endorsement in his race for re-election on February 15, when he secured the support
of the Martin Luther King County Labor Council (MLKCLC). The MLKCLC includes some 150 union locals representing more than 80,000 worksee ED MURRAY page 4
(l) Rob Ingersoll and Curt Freed – Photo courtesy of king5.com
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that Pasco florist Barronelle Stutzman was correctly pros-
ecuted and fined for refusing to create floral arrangements for a same-sex wedding. Stutzman claimed that she refused to sell wedding flowers to Robert Ingersoll see FLORIST page 3
King County among first in nation CDC: Overall HIV rates to achieve a global milestone in down, but rising for the fight against HIV/AIDS Gay men 25-34
King County Executive Dow Constantine – Photo courtesy of gogreenconference.wordpress.com
King County is one of the first counties in the United States to reach a major milestone set by the World Health Organization to confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Public Health – Seattle & King County achieved the goal three years ahead of schedule. Health officials celebrated the achieve-
ment but warn against complacency. King County is among the first major metropolitan regions in the United States – and possibly the first – to reach a major see HIV/AIDS MILESTONE page 4
Blood collection sample – Photo by Sherry Yates Young
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Overall rates of HIV infection in the US are down, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, but they are on the rise for Gay men
aged 25-34. The report, presented on February 14 at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, includes data for the years 2008 through 2014. see CDC page 6
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Celebrating 41 Years!
LGBTQ Allyship hosts Love Big! Community Forum on “Next Steps” Greetings! Trump is changing our country. Conservatives in Washington state have filed another anti-trans bathroom initiative, I-1552. Trump’s administration has tested the waters around a Respect Religious Freedom Initiative that would legalize discrimination against LGBTQ individuals and women based on someone’s moral objection to their sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pre-marital status and reproductive sovereignty. Trump’s Cabinet picks have ensured there will be more change for the worse around access to affordable housing and living wage jobs. AND the nation is organizing. LGBTQ Allyship’s local work around protecting LGBTQ workers’ and housing rights continues as a strong defense against Trumpism. But, what’s next? How can we
join forces with other marginalized communities to protect our rights, ensure our safety and strengthen our community for a more just tomorrow? We want to engage our community leaders and advocates in a conversation that will guide Allyship’s response to the various executive orders and conservative policies that are impacting LGBTQ immigrants/refugees, Muslims, parents, parents-to-be, women, seniors, people of color, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Join us! Wednesday, February 22nd from 6pm to 8pm for LGBTQ Allyship’s “Next Steps” Community Forum. Food and drink will be provided. LOCATION: Washington State Labor Council, 321 16th Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98144. (The venue is wheelchair accessible, parking is close by for folks who cannot walk far. Please re-
frame from wearing scents.) See you on the 22nd!
FLORIST
wedding floral services to Ingersoll and Freed because theirs would be a same-sex wedding – constitutes sexual orientation discrimination under the WLAD [Washington Law Against Discrimination].” The justices also dismissed Stutzman’s contention that state law violated her constitutionally protected freedom of religion by requiring her to serve same-sex couples. “We also hold that the WLAD may be enforced against Stutzman because it does not infringe any constitutional protection,” McCloud wrote. “As applied in this case, the WLAD does not compel speech or association. And assuming that it substantially burdens Stutzman’s religious free exercise, the WLAD does not violate her right to re-
ligious free exercise under either the First Amendment or article I, section 11 because it is a neutral, generally applicable law that serves our state government’s compelling interest in eradicating discrimination in public accommodations.” In a February ruling, Benton County Superior Court Judge Alexander Ekstrom found that Stutzman’s refusal to provide flowers because of sexual orientation violated Washington’s anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws. She has been fined $1,000, plus $1 in court costs and fees. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who sued Stutzman, said the state’s argument rested on long-standing legal principles and that reversing Ekstrom’s decision would weaken the anti-discrimination law.
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continued from cover and Curt Freed for their 2013 wedding because same-sex marriage violates her Christian beliefs. In a strongly worded ruling, all nine Supreme Court justices disagreed. “The State of Washington bars discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation. Discrimination based on same-sex marriage constitutes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud wrote for the full court in its February 16 decision. “We therefore hold that the conduct for which Stutzman was cited and fined in this case – refusing her commercially marketed
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Debbie Carlsen Executive Director LGBTQ Allyship info@allyship.org http://allyship.org/
Imperial Court of Seattle hosts Coronation 2017 by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle and the Olympic and Rainier Empire (I.S.C.S.O.R.E.) crowned Rainier XLIII Nick Milhoan and Olympia XLVI Merry Lubealot Peters as the organization’s newest reigning Emperor and Empress, respectively, on February 11 inside the Madison Ballroom at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel. For more than four decades the Imperial Court of Seattle has carried on the tradition of crowning a new Emperor and Empress at the signature event, the Seattle Coronation. The event serves as a stepping-down for the year’s previous monarchs as well and a chance for the community and visiting Imperial Sovereign Courts to congratulate and thank them for a job well done and the progress they made in the community and for their Court. On February 11, Rainier XLII Mark Surreal and Olympia XLV Donna Tella Howe gave their final performances of their yearlong reign to make way for Milhoan and Peters to embark on 365 days of raising money and awareness for the LGBTQ community in Seattle and overseeing the collection of cash donations for the J.C./Lady Graytop Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship was established in 1977 as a permanent memorial to Emperor J.C. aka James Christiansen and Empress Lady Graytop aka James Torchia, who were both vibrant members of the LGBTQ community and I.S.C.S.O.R.E. Since its inception, the Court of Seattle has awarded over $60,000 in various scholarships to deserving students. These scholarships are provided an-
ED MURRAY
continued from cover ers and is the largest county labor council in the state. Its endorsement opens the way for financial contributions and assistance in get-out-the-vote campaigns. Murray had already been endorsed by some of the Labor Council’s biggest members, including UNITE HERE 8, representing hotel and restaurant workers; the Seattle/King County Building & Construction Trades Council, representing 19 affiliated unions; AFSCME Council 2, representing county and city employees; Professional and Technical Employees 17, the largest union representing City of Seattle work-
Rainier 43 Nick Milhoan and Olympia 46, Merry Lubealot Peters – Photo by Mark Boyer
nually to deserving students who support the organization’s goals of enhancing selfesteem, recognizing diversity, supporting personal development, and acknowledging human rights. The Court of Seattle believes that by encouraging the pursuit of these goals, it si helping individuals develop their potential and thereby further enhancing the future of our community. Preference is given to students who selfidentify as LGBT, members of LGBT families, or straight allies who have been strongly supportive of the LGBT community. The recipient of the scholarship fund this year is none other than Ceasar Hart – the premiere drag king of the Pacific Northwest and perhaps one of the best-known drag kings in the nation. Hart is a founding member of Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea), a former Mr. Neighbours Seattle (twice), and producer of shows in and around the Seattle area, and has dedicated countless hours and funds to the benefit of the Seattle LGBTQ community. “So amazing to see everyone, and I seriously cannot say thank-you enough for this scholarship award,” Hart posted on Facebook after receiving the scholarship award at Coronation 2017. “I promise to not let ya down and to make sure to always keep giving back to make our community and world a better place.” The Seattle Gay News wishes Rainier XLIII Nick Milhoan and Olympia XLVI Merry Lubealot Peters all the best in the coming year and congratulates Ceasar Hart for receiving the scholarship award! For more information about I.S.C.S.O.R.E., visit the organization’s official website at http://www.imperialcourtofseattle.com.
ers; Laborers 242, representing hod carriers and general laborers; IBEW 77, representing electrical workers; Sheet Metal Workers 66; and IAM 751, representing Boeing machinists. SEIU 775, which represents home health care workers but is not part of MLKCLC, has also endorsed Murray. Its president, David Rolf, co-chaired Murray’s minimum wage commission in 2014. The MLKCLC endorsement is testimony to Murray’s pro-labor record as mayor and his dogged pursuit of good relations with organized labor. In the 2013 election, many of the same unions that support him now endorsed Murray’s opponent, then-incumbent Mike McGinn, but since taking office in 2014,
Murray has won over organized labor with an ambitious legislative agenda. Less than six months into his first term, Murray signed a historic ordinance raising Seattle’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. He also backed successful measures to offer paid sick leave to city employees and give secure scheduling to hourly workers. In a brief speech to MLKCLC delegates, the mayor announced his latest accomplishments: upping paid family leave for city employees to 12 weeks and expanding the city’s priority hire program, which promotes jobs for women, people of color, and the working poor. Also endorsed at the MLKCLC’s February 15 delegate meeting were King County Executive Dow Constantine and
Teresa Mosqueda for Seattle City Council Position 8. Mosqueda, currently political director for the Washington State Labor Council, is running for the at-large City Council seat now occupied by Tim Burgess, who is retiring. Unlike Murray and Constantine – who so far have drawn only token opponents – Mosqueda will have a race on her hands. The rare open Council seat has attracted nine candidates, including housing advocate Jon Grant, who ran unsuccessfully against Burgess in 2015, former Urban League and NAACP activist Sheley Secrest, and Transgender activist Mac McGregor.
work by our staff, strong community part-
sion of their infection, strengthens their im-
“Many of the infected people who are
will continue to work together to end this epidemic in our region once and for all.” The partnership made HIV testing easily accessible and routine – particularly for people at elevated risk for HIV – assures that people who are infected can rapidly access the medical care they need, and provides outreach and assistance to people who have fallen out of care. Public Health worked with communities affected by HIV, healthcare and social service providers, elected leaders, academic partners, the Washington State Department of Health and people who are living with HIV to achieve the goal. Viral suppression is a key goal of HIV treatment. When people with HIV are virally suppressed, they have no detectable virus in their blood. This prevents progres-
mitting HIV to others. While Public Health officials celebrated the achievement, they say maintaining the progress King County has made will require vigilance and adequate funding. “We have a lot to be proud of, but at the same time, now is not the time for complacency,” said Dr. Matthew Golden, Director of Public Health’s HIV/STD program. “Our success with HIV is incomplete and potentially reversible. Rates of other sexually transmitted diseases – like syphilis and gonorrhea – are rising, and funding has not kept pace with increases in syphilis, which, coupled with increases in and complexity of cases, has forced us to reduce the intensity of some of our outreach efforts.” Golden added that further progress is achievable with adequate resources.
lives,” he said. “Reaching them and making sure they receive life-saving treatment is going to be tough, but it is achievable.”
HIV/AIDS MILESTONE nerships, and state and federal funding. We mune system and prevents them from trans- not getting the care they need have very hard continued from cover
milestone set by the World Health Organization in the fight against HIV/AIDS. A broad partnership led by Public Health – Seattle & King County achieved what is known as the 90-90-90 goal: 90 percent of residents infected with HIV know their infection status, 90 percent are on HIV antiretroviral treatment, and 90 percent are virally suppressed. King County reached the milestone three years ahead of schedule. “King County continues to be a global leader in public health,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “The progress we’ve made toward ending AIDS in our community is the result of decades of hard
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Relevant links (http://www.kingcounty. gov/elected/executive/constantine/news/ release/2017/February/09-hiv-global-milestone.aspx) • 2016 Epidemiology Report: Washington State and Seattle & King County • King County’s HIV/AIDS Surveillance and Epidemiologic Research Program Courtesy of King County Executive Dow Constantine’s Press Office
Celebrating 41 Years!
Out like Flynn Adam Smith demands “full investigation” by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle-area Rep. Adam Smith has demanded a “full investigation” into Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn and the circumstances that led to his February 13 resignation as Donald Trump’s national security advisor. Flynn had been accused of secret backchannel communications with Russian officials, telling them that the incoming Trump administration would reverse President Obama’s policy of sanctions against Russia. After denying that he spoke with Russia and getting Vice President Mike Pence to back him up, evidence emerged that Flynn had indeed advised the Russians that Trump would go easy on them. Even worse for Flynn, the Washington Post revealed that Acting Attorney General Sally Yates had informed the Trump team that Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail because he lied about his conversations with the Russians. Yates was later fired by Trump after an unrelated dispute with the new regime. Flynn was forced to resign, but Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, did not want the issue to end there. The White House itself was implicated in shady practices, Smith charged. “Two months ago, I stated that Lt. Gen.
General Mike Flynn – Photo by Getty Images
Flynn’s judgment was abysmal and he should not be entrusted with policy decisions that affect the safety of the American people,” Smith wrote in a statement. “The recent revelations about his deal-
ings with the Russians underscored just how unfit he was for this position and made his resignation imperative. “But perhaps even more importantly, these events raise grave questions about
who in the White House knew about Flynn’s vulnerability to blackmail and exploitation by the Russian government, and when they knew about it. If anyone in the White House knew about Flynn’s vulnerability and chose not to act, they exercised inexcusably poor judgment that put the security of our country at enormous risk. “What was the advice the White House counsel’s office gave in this matter, and whom did they give it to? Did any of those individuals receive that advice and choose to turn a blind eye to the risks that Flynn’s position posed to the United States? We must have answers to these questions, and we must have a full investigation that covers any and all connections to these events that could undermine the national security of the United States.” Smith is not likely to get an investigation of the Flynn affair in a House of Representatives controlled by Republicans. House Speaker Paul Ryan tried to deflect criticism away from Trump and his advisers. “I think the president made the right decision to ask for his resignation. ... I’ll leave it up to the administration to describe the circumstances,” Ryan told reporters. “As soon as they realized they were being misled by the national security advisor, they asked for his resignation.”
SPD and hate crimes: news roundup by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The Seattle Police Department (SPD) recently launched its new Bias/Hate Crime Data dashboard. According to the SPD Blotter website, the data are composed of citywide bias crime reports and can be viewed by precinct, microcommunity policing plan neighborhood, bias type, year, and crime type, for which the department tracks at three levels: Malicious Harassment (sometimes referred to as Hate or Bias Crimes): The motivation for the suspect targeting a particular person is based on their belief about the victim’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, handicap (mental, physical, or sensory), homelessness, marital status, age, parental status, gender, or political identity. This usually involves an assault, property damage, or threat of harm. Crimes with Bias Elements: During the commission of any crime, bias comments are made. Non-Criminal Bias Incidents: Offensive and/or derogatory language that, although hurtful, does not meet the level of a crime and may fall under the category of free speech. The comments may cause a level of fear and concern in the targeted community, making the victim feel harassed, intimidated, or offended. The SPD Blotter says the dashboard will be updated monthly, and will join other publicly available data on the city’s open data site. According to the site, the SPD’s Bias Crimes Unit has been “a leader in addressing hate crimes. Regardless of the level of offense, bias incidents are a priority.” SPD officials want your input. “Have a great idea for a dataset you’d like to see? Have feedback on how to improve the crime dashboard? We are soliciting feedback to improve and add more features to the SPD Crime Dashboard.” Contact SPD with your suggesting by sending email to crimedashboard@seattle.gov. SPD hosts community forum after Lake City anti-Gay attack It is rare for SPD to hold a community forum. Sometimes the public wants answers to questions officials can’t answer, because it might harm the prosecution of a case. Or anti-cop activists show up and dis-
rupt or monopolize the microphone. However, if an issue needs to be addressed, SPD leadership will go the extra mile and hold a community forum. Such a moment presented itself on February 8 at the Lake City Community Center, following a hate crime that happened to a Lake City resident who is Gay. Aaron Amundsen, a Lake City business owner, began to speak out after becoming the target of a hate crime, according to KING5. News of the incident started spreading on social media and Seattle Police decided to host a community discussion about it at the Lake City Community Center. “I’ve never had to hide for one minute who I was in this neighborhood,” Amundsen, coowner of Emerald City Tattoo and Supply in the Lake City neighborhood, said to KING5. According to Amundsen, a week after the November election, his business partner, Tony Johns, found a note on Amundsen’s car windshield. Johns says he retrieved the note from the windshield and read it. “I came in, and I was quite upset,” he said. “It broke my heart, it truly broke my heart.” The note read: “Hey faggot—We won, so you better watch you’re [sic] back. You’re [sic] days are numberd [sic]. Make America STRAIGHT again to make it GREAT again. You will see[,] you cock sucker.” “It was like someone punched me in the gut,” Amundsen said, “because I had never experienced that in my life, and I’ve been out since high school. I’ve never experienced something so threatening.” SPD LGBTQ Liaison Officer Jim Ritter said the note was “clearly a threat based on the victim’s sexual identity,” adding, “It’s premeditated and the victim was targeted.” SPD recently released the latest hate crimes numbers from 2016 and categories for hate crimes in the city, with incidents against the LGBTQ community being the second highest category. Detective Beth Wareing, SPD Bias Crimes Coordinator, said that the numbers were up in November, and they’ve seen a few cases in which the election was referenced. It’s unclear if the increase in hate crimes is due to an actual increase in incidents or perhaps a willingness to report it. Regardless, Amundson felt a responsibility to speak out. “I believe it’s my absolute right as a citi-
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zen, and as an upstanding person, to say wait a minute – this is not acceptable, and don’t let anyone tell you it is,” he told KING5. Amundson was one of the speakers at the Community Awareness Forum on hate crimes on February 8. Officer Ritter also spoke at the forum, addressing community collaboration between the department and neighborhoods. Ritter is the creator of the successful SPD Safe Place program. In addition, Mike Hogan, Sr. Deputy Prosecutor for King County; Bruce Miyake, assistant United States attorney; and Knight Sor, DOJ-Community Relations Service addressed the forum. Hate crime data 2016 During the early half of 2015, Seattle’s LGBTQ community was rocked by a number of hate crimes, which also spiked again during LGBTQ Pride month in June. However, after efforts by Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea), Gender Justice League, the Mayor’s LGBTQ Task Force, and other organizations, the community and SPD are working more closely than they have in the past. Incidents still happen, but more and more LGBTQ community members than ever are reporting crimes, and many of them are being solved. Data from the SPD’s website on bias crimes show that during the first half of 2016, 128 criminal and noncriminal biasbased incidents were reported to the department. This compared to 102 bias-based incidents reported in the second half of 2015. That means there was a 25.5% increase citywide. The category of “crimes with bias elements” rose 44%. “Malicious harassment” cases increased by 11%, and “bias incidents” rose 28%. Reported anti-Gay and anti-Lesbian crimes rose 45% from the second half of 2015. Reported incidents were spread fairly evenly across second and third watches. The East Precinct had the most incidents, accounting for 30.5% of the total number citywide, followed by the North Precinct at 27.3% and the West Precinct at 25.8%. The South Precinct reported 8.5% of the incidents, followed by the Southwest Precinct at 7.8%. The good news is that the SPD does actively investigate cases when it believes a bias crime has occurred. According to the SPD, 17 people were arrested in 50
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malicious harassment crimes: nine people were arrested and/or charged with a felony crime, and eight people were arrested and/or charged with a misdemeanor offense. Five cases were “cleared exceptional” (the victim did not want to press charges), and three cases were inactivated or administratively cleared due to solvability or other factors. The data also show that during the second half of 2016, 128 criminal and noncriminal bias-based incidents were reported to the Seattle Police Department. This compared to 103 bias-based incidents reported in the second half of 2015. The data reflects a 24% increase overall. “Malicious harassment” cases decreased by 13%, “crimes with bias elements” rose 62%, and noncriminal “bias incidents” rose 50%. Nearly half of all reported incidents occurred during second watch hours, followed by first watch, then third watch. The West Precinct had the most incidents at 33% of the total number citywide, followed by the East Precinct at 25%, the North Precinct at 17%, the South Precinct at 13%, and the Southwest Precinct at 13%. According to the SPD, 25 people were arrested for malicious Harassment and crimes with bias elements: 10 were arrested and/or charged with a felony crime, and 15 were arrested and/or charged with a misdemeanor offense. Two cases were “cleared exceptional” (the victim did not want to press charges), and 53 cases were inactivated or administratively cleared due to solvability or other factors without being assigned. Resources for victims of crime Victims are encouraged to call 9-1-1 if an incident is in progress, or (206) 625-5011 (the nonemergency line) if you believe you have been a victim. If you do not get the service that you think you should receive from the SPD or you would like to know the status of the investigation into the crime you reported, contact Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) at socialoutreachseattle@gmail.com and they will advocate for you. Or write a message to SPD LGBTQ Liaison Officer Jim Ritter by filling out the form at www.SPDSAFEPLACE.com. Although you are encouraged to identify yourself, the form can be filled out anonymously.
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Pramila Jayapal elected vice ranking member of House Budget Committee by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Continuing her rapid rise into the leadership of the Democratic Party, newly elected Rep. Pramila Jayapal has been elected vice ranking member – the Democrats’ number two spot – on the powerful House Budget Committee. Jayapal represents Washington’s 7th Congressional District. The committee is charged with overseeing the federal budget process, reviewing all bills and resolutions on the budget, and monitoring agencies and programs funded outside of the budgetary process. The ranking member, or top Democrat, is Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky. Suzan DelBene, another Washington congresswoman, is also on the committee.
John Yarmuth of Kentucky – Photo courtesy of yarmuth.house.gov
“The budget, at the end of the day, is a powerful moral document,” Jayapal said in a statement. “It reflects our priorities and investments as a country. With every budget we pass, we should be standing up for the working class, protecting those who are most vulnerable, and fighting income inequality. I am honored to have this opportunity to help show what Democrats stand for, and to organize and engage people across the country in standing up for that vision. I thank my colleagues for electing me as vice ranking member of the House Budget Committee and look forward to working with them to put forth a budget that upholds our values.” “Budgets are about our values,” Yarmuth agreed, “and I am honored to be joined on the committee by a passionate and diverse group of Democrats who will
stand up for budget priorities that put our families first… “I’m pleased to congratulate our new vice ranking member Congresswoman Jayapal, whose years of experience in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors will be invaluable to the committee as we prepare to take on a number of challenging issues this year. “I look forward to working with her and all of the outstanding Democrats on the committee as we fight to enact smart budget priorities that build upon the progress of the past eight years, protect Americans’ health security, and increase economic opportunity for all American families.” Unlike other House committees, the Budget Committee is term-limited. Members may serve only three terms – six years – on the committee, unless the full House votes to waive the limitation.
New findings reveal health and aging experiences of LGBT adults across the nation Approximately 2.7 million adults age 50 and older self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT) in the U.S., and this number is expected to climb to over 5 million by 2060. LGBT older adults are a critically understudied population. Researchers at the University of Washington have been working to change that through Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study (NHAS), the first longitudinal study of LGBT older adults. New research from Aging with Pride: NHAS, published in the 2017 supplement of The Gerontologist, increases our understanding of the challenges, strengths, and needs of this growing and underserved population of older adults. This valuable research, which is funded by the National Institute on Aging, provides data for developing community-based interventions that improve the health and
well-being of at-risk LGBT older adults. Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, PhD, Principal Investigator of Aging with Pride: NHAS and editor of the supplemental issue, stated, “LGBT older adults are often a disregarded population. It’s extremely important to understand their health and wellbeing so we can take informed steps to reduce the health disparities they encounter. Our research highlights pathways to better understand health for all marginalized communities.” Through surveys of 2,450 adults aged 50 to 100, Aging with Pride: NHAS investigates the impact of historical, environmental, psychological, social, behavioral, and biological factors on health and well-being. This research breaks new ground toward fully encompassing the range of contexts and experiences, both positive and negative, which shape the lives of these adults.
The 10 articles explore findings from the 2014 wave of the longitudinal study, which articulate three major themes regarding LGBT older adults: the influence of life events on health and quality of life; diversity and subgroup differences; and processes and mechanisms underlying health and quality of life. Previous Aging with Pride: NHAS research has shown that LGBT older adults are both resilient and at-risk; they have higher rates of disability, cardiovascular disease, depression and social isolation. This supplement highlights findings to better understand the health and well-being of LGBT older adults, including how key life events such as coming out, work, and relationships are associated with health and quality of life. Other articles in the supplement highlight the interaction between health and subgroup differences such as
CDC
continued from cover According to CDC data, the incidence of HIV infections declined 18% over the seven-year period, from about 45,700 to 37,600 cases per year. The CDC attributes the decrease to HIV-positive people being on medication and becoming undetectable, plus the fact that individuals at high risk of HIV infection are now taking PrEP medication to prevent acquiring the virus. PrEP was approved for use in 2012. The CDC noted that there had been a drop in infections among intravenous drug users, and a 36% drop in heterosexual people becoming infected. However, while the overall infection rate has come down, Gay and Bi men remain the most at-risk group. They accounted for 67% of new infections in 2014. Certain groups within this larger community remain at particular risk. • Annual infections among Gay men aged 25-34 increased by 35% (from 7,200 to 9,700). (On the other hand, infection rates among Gay and Bi men aged 35-44
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David Holtgrave – Photo courtesy ofnationalaidshousing.org
dropped by 25%, and by 18% among men under 24.) • Infections among Latino Gay and Bi males increased by 20% (from 6,100 to 7,300).
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• Infection rates among black Gay and Bi men remained stable at around 10,100 per year. • Southern states bear the greatest burden of HIV, accounting for 50% of new infec-
race/ethnicity, partnership status, resilience among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men, and transgender older adults with prior military service. The research examined risk and protective factors that contribute to health, including the role of social networks, alcohol consumption, and health care engagement. “This volume begins to fill the research gap that lies at the intersection of aging and sexual and gender identity and expression,” Fredriksen-Goldsen said. “As we move forward in aging-related research, services, and policies, we must consider the totality of the lives of LGBT older adults.” Courtesy of Aging with Pride – NOTE: Dr. Fredriksen-Goldsen’s research can be found at http://age-pride.org/wordpress/ published-articles.
tions in 2014. “Disparities among MSM [men who have sex with men] need to be addressed to reduce incidence,” the CDC’s Sonia Singh told the conference. “Black MSM continue to have the highest incidence, and the incidence is increasing among Hispanic and Latinos as well as 25-to-34-year-olds. “Tailoring testing, prevention, and treatment to these risk groups is needed to reduce HIV transmission.” According to Huffington Post writer David Holtgrave of Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, “The health disparities, especially for Gay and Bisexual men of color and Gay and Bisexual men in young adulthood, are clearly unacceptable and must be addressed with culturally relevant, evidence-based, comprehensive wellness services that address HIV and health in a holistic manner. “The same is true for the disparities seen in the Southern US; this unequal geographic impact of the epidemic, which is mirrored by the burden of other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, has been known for far too long for such disparities to continue to exist.”
Celebrating 41 Years!
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Celebrating 41 Years!
7 ways the Affordable Care Act protects LGBTQ Americans by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The Republican leadership in Congress and President Donald Trump are working to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), landmark legislation that provides access to health care for 22 million Americans, including millions of LGBTQ people. David Stacy, legislative director for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), sent email to HRC supporters this week asking them to send a message to President Trump and the GOP members of Congress, demanding that they keep their hands off of
the ACA. Also included in the email was a series of ways Stacy says a repeal of Obamacare would impact LGBTQ people. Here are the seven reasons it’s important for LGBTQ Americans to defend the ACA: 1. Under the ACA, state marketplaces, health plans, and their employees can’t discriminate against LGBTQ people – and insurers can’t charge more if you have a preexisting condition, such as HIV or cancer. 2. Since the some in the LGBTQ community are less likely to have health insurance, the ACA makes new coverage options available to all – including those without
access to coverage through a domestic partner or employer and those with pre-existing health conditions. 3. The ACA not only provides access to care but it also addresses health disparities that currently exist in the LGBTQ community and provides critical preventive care. 4. Without protections guaranteed by the ACA, many could lose coverage for life-saving treatment for HIV and AIDS and be left vulnerable to insurance industry abuses. 5. The ACA makes considerable strides in addressing the barriers to obtaining care from qualified providers that people with
HIV and AIDS face, helping them get the treatment they need. 6. Insurers cannot limit or deny coverage for services used for gender transition when those services would otherwise be covered if treating a non-transition-related health condition. 7. Under the ACA, a plan can’t limit a preventative service like a Pap smear, mammogram, or prostate exam based on an individual’s sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or recorded gender.
If you worked for Walmart and had a same-sex spouse between 2011 and 2013, read this by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer If you worked for Walmart and had a same-sex spouse between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2013, an upcoming court settlement could affect your rights. The resolution of Cote v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a suit filed in 2014, calls for the retail giant Walmart to pay out $7.5 million to settle the claims of Jacqueline Cote – the named plaintiff in the case – and other Walmart employees who experienced the same kind of discrimination. Walmart refused to cover Cote’s spouse under her health insurance policy, even though the couple had been legally married in Massachusetts and opposite-sex spouses were covered without question. Starting in 2006 and continuing through 2012, Cote tried to add her spouse, Diana Smithson, to her company-provided health care policy, but Walmart consistently turned her down. The company did not change its policy and provide coverage for same-sex spouses until 2014, but by then Cote and Smithson had racked up more
(r) Jackie Cote with Diana – Photo courtesy of dallasvoice.com
than $150,000 in medical bills. Smithson ultimately died of ovarian cancer in 2016.
Any employee of Walmart or Sam’s Club who had a same-sex spouse between 2011 and 2013 is eligible to participate in
the class-action settlement. If you are eligible, refer to the website www.walmartsamesexspousebenefitssettlement.com or phone 1-877-241-7543. To opt in to the settlement and receive payment, you must submit your claims no later than March 20. Forms to do so are available on the website. If you do this, you will also give up any rights to sue Walmart on your own. If you want to opt in but you’re not satisfied with the proposed settlement, you may also appear in court and object to the settlement. You can’t do this and also opt out, however. If you want to bring your own suit against Walmart, you must explicitly opt out of the suit and file your own claims. Attorneys working with Cote warn that statute of limitation concerns apply, so you should act promptly to file a claim. If you do nothing, then you give up any rights to money under the settlement and also give up the right to sue Walmart on your own.
Incarceration rate of LGB people three times the general population by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor A new study by scholars at the Williams Institute found that sexual minorities are incarcerated at disproportionately high rates, and once incarcerated they are more likely to experience mistreatment, harsh punishment, and sexual victimization. Approximately 238,000 sexual minorities are incarcerated in the United States. It is important to note, however, that the nationwide incarceration rate of sexual minorities was previously unknown. The new study, “Incarceration Rates and Traits of Sexual Minorities in the United States: National Inmate Survey, 20112012,” is the first to consider incarcerated sexual minority men and women separately. According to the report, sexual minorities – defined as people who self-identify as Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual (LGB) and people who do not identify as LGB but reported a same-sex sexual experience – were disproportionately incarcerated: 9.3% of men in prison, 6.2% of men in jail,
Dr. Ilan H. Meyer – Photo courtesy of law.ucla.edu
42.1% of women in prison, and 35.7% of women in jail were sexual minorities. Compared with straight inmates, sexual minorities were more likely to have been sexually victimized as children, to have been sexually victimized while incarcer-
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ated, to have experienced solitary confinement and other sanctions, and to report current psychological distress. “This raises a lot of questions and a call to action for policy changes in both jails and prisons,” said Williams Senior Scholar of Public Policy Dr. Ilan H. Meyer in an article for Reuters Health News. Key findings of the study report the following: Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexuals make up about 3.5% of the US general population, but 5.5% of men in prisons are Gay or Bisexual and 33.3% of women in prison are Lesbian or Bisexual. Among the approximately 238,000 sexual minorities held in prisons and jails, there are approximately 94,900 Gay and Bisexual men, 69,600 men who have sex with men (MSM) but do not identify as Gay/Bisexual, 56,400 Lesbian and Bisexual women, and 17,000 women who have sex with women (WSW) but do not identify as Lesbian or Bisexual. This corresponds to an incarceration rate of 1,882 per 100,000 LGB people, or 2,368 per 100,000 Gay or Bisexual men
and 1,399 per 100,000 Lesbians or Bisexual women. By comparison, the general incarceration rate is 612 per 100,000 US adults over age 18. “I hope this research also raises awareness of the heightened risk that sexual minority populations face for sexual victimization, isolation, disproportionate punishment, and distress,” said Dr. Meyer. “We need to understand more about the pathways that lead to greater incarceration of LGB people and whether biases ingrained in the criminal justice system lead to sexual minorities being treated differently than heterosexuals.” Researchers drew their data from the National Inmate Survey, 2011-2012, a probability sample of inmates in US prisons and jails mandated by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. Published in the American Journal of Public Health, the study is co-authored by Ilan H. Meyer, PhD; Andrew R. Flores, PhD; Lara Stemple, JD; Adam P. Romero, JD; Bianca D.M. Wilson, PhD; and Jody L. Herman, PhD.
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Celebrating 41 Years!
LGBT envoy will stay on, State Department says by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Randy Berry, the State Department’s Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons will “continue in his role in the current administration,” a department spokesperson says. The post was created in April 2015 as one of a number of LGBT rights initiatives undertaken by the Obama administration. Berry is the first – and so far the only – LGBT special envoy. Openly Gay, Berry used his position as special envoy to push for LGBT rights in South America. He also insisted that police resources in countries like Uganda should be directed toward combatting terrorism rather than harassing LGBT individuals.
Randy Berry – Photo by John Shinkle/POLITICO
The State Department spokesperson did not elaborate on the Trump administration’s reasons for keeping Berry on. Other Obama-era posts like the Special Envoy for Climate Change were vacated and are likely to stand empty for the foreseeable future. LGBT activists reacted cautiously to the news. “This is really surprising to me,” Ross Murray, the director of programs at GLAAD, a pro-LGBT group, told Foreign Policy magazine. “I don’t think I can applaud it until I see what his mandate becomes in this administration.” “But Berry has been really effective in that job,” he added. Berry joined the US Foreign Service – the career diplomatic corps – in 1993. He served as a diplomat in Nepal, Bangladesh,
Egypt, South Africa, and Uganda, becoming Deputy Chief of Mission in Nepal from 2007 to 2009. Berry was consul general in Auckland, New Zealand, from 2009 to 2012, and consul general in Amsterdam from 2012 to 2015. Many Trump allies – the Family Research Council (FRC), for example – have urged him to reverse Obama’s pro-LGBT policies. FRC also worried that incoming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is “pro-gay.” It did not comment on the news that Berry will keep his job in the State Department.
DeVos-funded group classified as hate group by SPLC Alliance Defending Freedom supports recriminalization of Gay sex by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A group funded in part by the family foundations of newly confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has been listed as an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The SPLC describes the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) as “a legal advocacy and training group that specializes in supporting the recriminalization of homosexuality abroad, ending same-sex marriage, and generally making life as difficult as possible for LGBT communities in the US and internationally.” In its February 15 announcement, SPLC
also released a series of anti-LGBT statements from current and former ADF staffers. The anti-LGBT group was founded in 1994 at a meeting of 30 right-wing Christian leaders, including many anti-LGBT superstars: James Dobson of Focus on the Family; Bill Bright of the Campus Crusade for Christ; D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries (now D. James Kennedy Ministries); and Don Wildmon, founder of the American Family Association. Its original purpose was to oppose the ACLU and other “radical groups,” as well as to fight for “religious liberty.” Called the Alliance Defense Fund until 2012, the ADF has been funding lawsuits and training attor-
neys since its inception. In addition to “advocating for freedom in court,” the group says it is also working to “change the culture,” because legal victories aren’t enough. In other words, the ADF is attempting to challenge the separation of church and state and graft its version of Christianity onto federal and state laws. The ADF reported a total revenue of $61.9 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, and net assets of $39.9 million. This compares with a budget of $9,000,000 in 1999. Some of its funds come from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, named for Betsy DeVos’s father- and mother-inlaw; the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation,
named for her parents; the Bradley Foundation; the Covenant Foundation; and the Bolthouse Fund, which affirms “that man was created by a direct act of God in His image, not from previously existing creatures, and that all of mankind sinned in Adam and Eve, the historical parents of the entire human race.” After a bitter confirmation battle, DeVos became Secretary of Education on a 5150 Senate vote, with Vice President Mike Pence coming in at the last minute to cast the deciding vote in her favor. Her husband’s father founded the Amway multilevel-marketing empire, and her brother, Erik Prince, founded the mercenary outfit Blackwater.
What happened to the federal website for disabled students? Murray and Cantwell write letter to DeVos
and federal courts interpreted IDEA. “Recognizing the diversity of the students served under IDEA, the website has provided accessible and informative summaries of the law, training materials, sample educational forms, presentations for the public, and so many other user-friendly resources,” Murray and Cantwell explained.
The senators listed several things they want DeVos to do, starting with giving “assurance that this website will not be stripped down in any way during your tenure.” They also asked for a “detailed timeline” of when resources previously available at the IDEA website became inaccessible to public view, and how those resources will again be offered to families and educators. They are demanding “a detailed plan for restoring the information previously available, including information about citizens’ rights under the disability act.” Murray and Cantwell are also asking DeVos to give a firm date by which the public can again access information that has been withdrawn. Neither senator voted to confirm DeVos, who won her post by a narrow 51-50 margin, only because Vice President Mike Pence was summoned to the Senate chamber to cast the deciding vote in her favor. DeVos herself has little to no experience with education. She got her job because she is a Republican megadonor who backs school vouchers and charter schools. The IDEA website is not the only casualty of the new Trump regime. Federal web pages on climate change and LGBT rights disappeared within minutes of Trump’s inauguration.
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have written a sternly worded letter to new Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, demanding that she restore a federal website aimed at students with disabilities and their families. The website, originally set up under George W. Bush, provided a “one-stop” explanation of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and informed disabled students of their rights under the disability law. The website vanished without a trace or an explanation when Trump took office. “We are deeply concerned that prior to your confirmation and arrival at the Department, the centralized resource website for the IDEA became inaccessible to the public for more than a week, and is now redirecting people to a site for the Office of Special Education Programs,” the senators wrote to DeVos. They added that the new website “lacks much of the information previously available.” “The Department’s failure to keep this critical resource operational makes it harder for parents, educators, and admin-
Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell – Photos courtesy of radaris.com and wikiwand.com
istrators to find the resources they need to implement this federal law and protect the rights of children with disabilities,” the senators said. The website had been maintained and regularly updated by the federal Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services as Congress passed new legislation
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February 17, 2017
Celebrating 41 Years!
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