SGN Feb 1, 2019 - Part 1

Seattle Gay News

HRC releases annual State Equality Index ratings

by Allison Turner Human Rights Campaign

Hundreds protest attack on Barcelona LGBTI Center

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Hundreds of people took to the streets in Barcelona on January 27 to protest an attack on the city’s newly opened LGBTI Center. The center opened January 19 as a

SPLC statement on Supreme Court’s decision to lift injunctions against Trump’s transgender military ban

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (January 22, 2019) – The following statement is from Deputy Legal Director David Dinielli:

“The US Supreme Court’s decision today to temporarily lift injunctions against the Trump administration’s ban on open service by transgender Americans is just that: temporary.

“The court allowed the legal challenges to Trump’s transgender military ban to continue in the federal courts. However, the court’s decision to lift the injunctions that have been blocking the ban means that transgender service members will face [cruel] discharges.

venue for LGBTI support and information services, organizations, art, and collective organizing.

Center staff found that vandals had defaced the building’s entrance in the early hours of Sunday morning, January 27.

HRC Foundation and the Equality Federation Institute released their 5th annual State Equality Index (SEI), a comprehensive report detailing statewide laws and policies that affect LGBTQ people and their families, and assessing how well states are protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination. Because there are currently no comprehensive civil rights protections for LGBTQ people at the federal level, the see BARCELONA page 5 see EQUALITY INDEX page 6

Victory Institute hails queerest Congress in history

by Reggie Greer Victory Institute

WASHINGTON, DC – Three days into 2019, Victory Institute took a “Victory Lap” to celebrate the opening day of the 116th Congress. Ten openly LGBTQ people were sworn in to the 116th U.S. Congress

on January 3 – two to the U.S. Senate and eight to the U.S. House – the most LGBTQ people to ever serve in either chamber. The previous record was held by the last Congress with seven LGBTQ people serving – one in the Senate and six in the House. Half of the 10 LGBTQ members will now see TRANS BAN page 12

see CONGRESS page 6

SPD to host “Fabulous Forums” in 2019

Hello all,

The Seattle Police Department is proud to announce its 2019 “Fabulous Forums.”

These (3-hour) forums are designed to provide valuable educational information to the public regarding a variety of topics ranging from the SPD’s cultural history, to how the SPD works at enhancing the relationships between Seattle’s police and the population it serves, employment opportunities, hate crimes education, self-defense and a much more.

Light food and drink will be provided. Space is limited and must be reserved through EventBrite (links below). Each forum date must be registered separately. Please feel free to post this information

on your personal social media sites so that your friends and family can attend.

February 7th Link (Ctrl + left click)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spdfabulous-forums-february-7-2019-tickets54431916327?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

May 15th

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spdsfabulous-forums-may-15-2019-tickets54415987684?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

August 7th

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spdsfabulous-forums-august-7-2019-tickets-

54416464109?aff=ebapi

November 6th

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spdsfabulous-forums-november-6-2019-tickets54417647649?aff=erellivmlt

Thank you for your ongoing efforts in making Seattle a great place to live!

Officer Jim Ritter

Seattle Police Department

Collaborative Policing Bureau

LGBTQ Liaison 1519 12th Ave

Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 386-1793

OutRight Action International hosts “OutRising: An Evening for Global GLBTIQ Equalty” on Feb. 7

“OutRising: An Evening for Global LGBTIQ Equality” is nearly here!

Please join us on Thursday, February 7th for OutRight’s signature event of 2019 in Seattle.

OutRight’s Executive Director Jessica Stern will share the latest news from her recent travels to Iraq and Lebanon, and OutRight’s Columbia Law School Public Service Fellow Ping “Hoping” Hou, a lawyer from South China, will share her work founding an LGBTIQ organization in China and collaborating with our Asia and UN teams.

This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with 200+ OutRight fans and new friends gathering at The Collective, a new, private “urban basecamp” in South Lake Union (400 Dexter Ave N). Enjoy delicious appetizers provided by our hosts and babycakes from Cupcake Royale, and snap a fun photo in the Photo Booth donated by CitySoundWave.

Our fierce and fabulous emcee Laura Michalek will auction off a few select and sensational live items, including a 5-course, seasonal private dinner party by chef Tom Black and getaways to Palm Springs, Whidbey Island, Leavenworth, and Newport, Rhode Island. You can even bid on a pair of lower level tickets to see Michelle Obama in Tacoma the following night! We’ll also

have a silent auction featuring tickets to a variety of local arts, culture, and sports events around town.

Tickets for the evening are $30 general; $15 student.

It’s not too late to join our host committee or sponsor the event – with free parking and other perks. To sign up or learn more, visit www.outrightinternational.org/ OutRising or contact me at khultquist@ outrightinternational.org.

Many thanks to our current sponsors Google, Microsoft, Linksbridge, Sassenach, Cupcake Royale, Tutta Bella, The Collective, Laura Michalek, CitySoundWave, and Defiance Realty.

Come raise your paddle to support OutRight and our work for safety, freedom, equality, and dignity everywhere.

ALSO: The first twenty people who donate during our program will receive $25 gift cards from Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria!

Register today to reserve your ticket at www.outrightinternational.org/OutRising.

I look forward to seeing you on February 7th.

Katie Hultquist West Coast Director OutRight Action International

SASG announces new name, new location

An Open Letter to the Community:

We are excited to announce that on February 1, 2019, Seattle Area Support Groups will be changing our name to Peer Seattle (www.peerseattle.org) to coincide with the move to our new location at 1520 Bellevue Ave., Suite 100 (between E. Pike and E. Pine). We envision a space where peers come together in support and personal development through the ever-evolving components of community informed programming. Our new space is designed to do just that with room to grow our staff and the addition of a dedicated events and training room to hold or host opportunities that benefit our community. Seattle Area Support Groups has experienced a significant amount of growth over the past eight years in both programming and membership thanks to the dedicated efforts of our volunteers, board of directors and staff. Our premise is simple:

LGBTQA+ identified individuals and our allies with lived experience addressing the challenges of addiction, mental health and/ or HIV understand and support one another in a way that no one else can. Together we break the bonds of isolation through community, exhibit hope for reaching our unlimited potential, build person-centered recovery, challenge the myths laid upon us by social stigma, and maintain our personal recovery by giving support back to one another. In 2018, our board of directors met with an organizational development expert to take an objective look at where we are today and where we are going in the future. Two things became very clear during this

Curious about your Japanese heritage?

Professional genealogist Linda Harms Okazaki presents a two-day seminar on how to research Japanese-American genealogy from 9am to 4pm, Saturday, Feb. 2 to Sunday, Feb. 3 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 4, Washington Mutual Foundation meeting Room 1, 206-386-4636.

Library events are free and everyone is welcome. Parking is available in the Central Library’s garage for $8. Registration is required; space is limited to 40 registrants.

SCHEDULE

Saturday, Feb. 2: beginning genealogists 9am to 4pm – Exploring Our Nikkei Genealogy. This all-day program is geared toward entry-level family historians who

have friends or family with Japanese ancestry. Those who attend this session are invited to return Sunday afternoon for “Ask a Genealogist.”

ente Community Engagement and Health, Pride Foundation and many more). We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to Board & Vellum for donating their services to design and decorate our new space, MRJ Constructors for making sure that we are able to fully build out our new space within our budget, and the O’Neill Foundation, Lawson Manufacturing and The Norcliffetions towards our renovation expenses. On behalf of the board of directors, thank you for your patience and support during this process. We hope that you are as excited as -

Saturday program. The focus will be on

The Library brings people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. We support universal access to information and ideas, and form strong tions to offer classes and workshops that are accessible to all. This event is presented

For more information, call 206-386-4636

Sound Generations seeks nominations for 14th Annual Inspire Positive Aging Awards

Recipients to be named at Inspire Positive Aging Awards Luncheon on June 26, 2019

What does a protestor at Standing Rock, a fitness guru in his 90s, a Washington’s first Nursing Home Ombudsman, and a master Wii bowler all have in common?

ANSWER: They are all former recipients of Sound Generations’ Inspire Positive Aging Awards (IPAA)!

Now in its 14th year, IPAA celebrates older adults in King County who inspire those around them to age well and live their best lives. The 2019 IPAA nominations are now open, and people of all ages are invited to submit an application for an older adult (60 years or older) who inspires them.

The nomination form is available at inspire-award.org. Forms must be received or postmarked by April 30, 2019.

All nominees will be celebrated at the Inspire Positive Aging Awards Luncheon, to be held on June 26, 2019 at The Bellevue Hilton. This unique, festive tradition brings together hundreds of people from diverse communities throughout King County.

A video featuring highlights from the 2018 awards ceremony is available at this link: youtube.com/watch?v=Z2jFCj2HJrM

Any individual aged 60 and older who lives in King County, WA is eligible for nomination. Nominations may be submitted by anyone who wishes to participate. Individuals can nominate more than one deserving older adult.

This year, Sound Generations will recognize recipients in the following six categories:

• Advocacy + Activism

Recognize someone committed to advancing his or her community through positive change.

• Community Service Express your gratitude for someone who contributes time and energy to helping others.

• Health + Wellness

Celebrate someone who promotes health living and inspires you to do the same.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Intergenerational Impact

Acknowledge the contributions of someone who works to improve the lives of people of all ages.

• Lifelong Learning Show your appreciation for someone who inspires you to broaden your horizons.

• Defining Inspiration

Recognize a single person whose attributes have touched and inspired you in a unique way.

Award recipients receive prizes that include a $200 VISA gift card. Each individual who nominates one of the award recipients receives a $50 gift card. Requests for hard copies of the form or questions regarding the awards may be directed to IPAA@soundgenerations.org.

Sound Generations, formerly Senior Services, is the most comprehensive nonprofit agency serving older adults and their loved ones in King County. Established in 1967, we support over 64,000 people on their aging journey through community connections and accessible services. Our integrated system of quality programs includes six Community Partner Sites. More than 2,400 volunteers join forces with dedicated staff members to make our work possible and efficient. Learn more at www.soundgenerations.org.

Courtesy of Sound Generations

Greek bishop convicted of anti-LGBT hate speech

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

A Greek Orthodox bishop was convicted of anti-LGBT hate speech by a court in Aigion on January 28 and was sentenced to seven months in prison. The court then suspended the sentence contingent on the prelate not reoffending for three years.

Bishop Amvrosios of Kalavryta, a town in the Peloponnesos, was charged under Article 196 of the Greek Penal Code, forbidding the abuse of ecclesiastical office.

The case against Amvrosios dates to 2015, when the governing SYRIZA party introduced legislation to legalize same-sex civil partnerships. The bill subsequently passed, fulfilling one of the leftist party’s campaign promises.

Amvrosios, a prolific blogger, posted a rant against the LGBT community, calling LGBT Greeks “the dregs of humanity.”

“Spit on them! Deprecate them! Vote against them!” he urged. “They are not human! They are freaks of nature! Mentally and spiritually sick! They are mentally insane! Don’t hesitate, then! Wherever you see them, spit on them! Don’t leave them in

BARCELONA

continued from cover

The attackers smashed the front window and sprayed graffiti on it, including fascist messages and symbols, and slogans like “You’re dead,” and “Fuck LGBTI.”

The Platform of LGTBI Entities of Catalonia, the organization that organized and launched the center, quickly publicized the attack in a statement on Facebook.

“We condemn the attack and maintain, more than ever, our commitment to make this new center the space of reference for the

peace! They are dangerous!”

A group of nine Greek activists then filed a formal complaint against the bishop. He first appeared in court in March 2018, but at the time he was cleared of the charges of public incitement to violence and abuse of ecclesiastical duties.

The Economist reported that during that hearing he said, “Spitting on them is the least of it. If I had a gun and I was permitted by the law, I would use it and we would finish things off.”

The Greek Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis, a member of SYRIZA, said he was “surprised” by the acquittal, and filed

defense of the rights of LGBTI people in the city of Barcelona,” the statement read.

In response, many residents of Barcelona came down to stick messages of support on the front doors of the center.

“We want a gay-friendly neighborhood,” one message read.

Hundreds of people also flooded the street outside of the center to protest against the vandalism.

Barcelona’s openly bisexual mayor, Ada Colau Ballano, attended the rally and condemned the attack.

“A week ago we opened the Barcelona LGBTI Center, the biggest in Europe,” she

an appeal. This resulted in the January 29 conviction.

The lawyer for the plaintiffs in the case, Kleio Papandoleon, told the Associated Press she hoped it would put limits on “inflammatory and hateful speech.”

Amvrosios is no stranger to inflammatory speech. Last year, for example, he blamed the deadly wildfires near Athens on atheist Prime Minister Alex Tsipras.

“Atheist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras draws the wrath of God,” Amvrosios wrote on his blog. “The atheists of SYRIZA are the causes of the general disaster! Their atheist draws the wrath of God!”

On that occasion, the bishop’s remarks drew a strong rebuke from other clergymen.

“We respect everyone, especially the elderly, however, some[one] has to tell a specific senior to finally ‘SHUT UP,’ to stop causing pain and scandalizing the Orthodox and non-Orthodox world,” a blogger identifying himself as Father Neofytos wrote.

“It’s not the fault of Jesus and the Church; stop using them so that you can bring out all your maliciousness. We are priests and our words should be ambrosia

wrote on her Facebook page.

“Tonight it suffered a cowardly attack. The homophobia of this minority does not represent this city. The hate they wish to spread is theirs, not ours.

“Barcelona feels very proud to be a diverse city. In Barcelona we happily the defend the right to defend to love who we love and how we want to love, in a community that protects our right to do that.”

Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya and is Spain’s second city. It has also been, historically, one of the strongholds of the Spanish left and an LGBT-welcoming city.

In 2011, Barcelona installed Europe’s

and nectar to the people’s souls, not gall and vinegar.”

Bishop Anthimos of Alexandroupolis added an article posted on the website of his diocese with the title “Enough!”

“Today God is mourning together with the people,” Anthimos wrote. “God is mourning for a big disaster that led to the loss of live of dozens of our brothers. God does not stand opposite to us. God does not punish, God does not know what punishment is, but he stands on the side of his creatures, the fruits of his love. He suffers with them, he cries with them, he is [as devastated] as they are and he is crucified with them again.”

Bishop Anthimos added, “The ‘atheist’ prime minister spoke with more compassion for the victims than you did.” Addressing Amvrosios personally, he wrote “your message was full of hate, anti-Christian, and cruel.”

While the Greek Orthodox Church has substantial cultural influence, especially in rural areas of Greece, it is notorious for its right-wing political alliances, and many young, urban Greeks no longer attend church.

first monument to LGBT victims of persecution: a pink marble triangle more than 12 feet across. The city’s then-mayor, Socialist Jordi Hereu, wanted to put it directly across from Sagrada Família basilica, the iconic church designed by Antoni Gaudí, but protests from the Vatican eventually caused the city to move the monument to a park in front of the Catalan parliament building. Spanish fascists have staged a number of provocative actions in Catalunya since the region launched its drive for an independent Catalan republic in 2017.

EQUALITY

rights of millions of LGBTQ people and their families depend on which state they live in. In 30 states, LGBTQ people remain at risk of being fired, evicted or denied services because of who they are. For this reason, the incoming pro-equality majority in the U.S. House of Representatives has made the Equality Act – a bill to establish comprehensive federal protections for LGBTQ people – a top priority.

As civil rights organizations work toward passage of these critical federal protections, accelerating progress at the state level is critical. This year, the number of states that obtained the SEI’s highest rating, “Working Toward Innovative Equality,” increased from 13 to 17. These states, and Washington, DC, currently have robust LGBTQ non-discrimination laws covering employment, housing and public accommodations, as well as protections in the areas of credit and insurance.

This SEI report comes as more than 46 state legislatures have opened their sessions – and with New York kicking off the year on a tremendous note by passing both the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and legislation protecting LGBTQ youth in the state from the dangerous and debunked practice of so-called “conversion therapy.” The Virginia State Senate has also passed legislation that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. And governors in Kansas, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin signed executive orders protecting LGBTQ state employees.

The U.S. House is soon poised to begin considering the Equality Act, a historic bill that would provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs and jury service. More than 130 major employers, with operations in all 50 states, have joined HRC’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act, urging Congress to pass these crucial protections.

“The work of the HRC Foundation and programs like the State Equality Index, along with HRC’s efforts day in and day out to advance protections for LGBTQ people at the state and federal level are vital to the struggle for LGBTQ civil rights,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.” HRC and our partners on the ground defeated dozens of antiLGBTQ bills last year, and worked to pass crucial pro-equality measures that ensure LGBTQ Americans are protected wherever they live. Already, we see the promise of even more protections passing in 2019 – with action taken in New York, Virginia, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.”

Griffin continued, “However, LGBTQ people still face the sobering reality that their rights are determined by which side of a state or city line they call home. As this year’s State Equality Index makes clear,

CONGRESS

be women and two are people of color, up from just two LGBTQ women and one person of color. Five of the members are new to their positions. As members of the most diverse Congress in American history were sworn in, Victory’s welcome committee went to Capitol Hill to personally congratulate all ten openly LGB members of Congress – a historic achievement for the LGBTQ community.

Every two years on the first day of a new Congress, several members hold open houses so friends, family members, former campaign staffers, and constituents can take part in the day’s festivities. Proudly representing the larger Victory family, Ruben Gonzales, Victory Institute Vice President, Seth Schermer, Victory Insti-

the time has come for us to do away with this patchwork of state laws and to protect all LGBTQ people by passing the federal Equality Act.”

Said Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of Equality Federation Institute: “The strength of the state-based LGBTQ movement is critical to elevate our representation, visibility and equality across the country. As we look to the next legislative session, the State Equality Index should serve as a recognition of how far we have come and how much we have yet to achieve.”

Advancing LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections at the state and federal level is supported by a wide swath of Americans. In fact, a recent PRRI survey found that 71 percent of Americans support LGBTQ nondiscrimination laws like the Equality Act. An estimated 8 million LGBTQ Americans, their friends and families remain at risk of discrimination if they live in one of the 30 states without adequate protections. A map of this patchwork of laws can be found at https://www.hrc.org/state-maps/

The SEI’s assessment of statewide LGBTQ-related legislation and policies in the areas of parenting laws and policies, religious refusal and relationship recognition laws, non-discrimination laws and policies, hate crime and criminal justice laws, youth-related laws and policies and health and safety laws and policies has placed each state in one of four distinct categories:

• Sixteen states and the District of Columbia are in the highest-rated category,

tute Vice President of Development, Sean Meloy, Victory Fund Political Director, and I presented framed “Rainbow Wave” placards to four new out members of the U.S. House of Representatives – U.S. Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA 25), U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH 1), U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS 3), and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN 2).

The welcome committee also greeted the four returning Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus co-chairs, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI 2), Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA 41), Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI 1), and Sen. Patrick Maloney (D- NY 18). Then, we trekked over to the Senate side to congratulate U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) on their success and to wish them well.

“LGBTQ Americans understand the significance of having ten out members of Congress, and they understand how their presence will translate into prog-

“Working Toward Innovative Equality”: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington

• Four states are in the category “Solidifying Equality”: Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland and New Hampshire

• Two states are in the category “Building Equality”: Utah, Wisconsin

• Twenty-Eight states are in the lowestrated category “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality”: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming

[ For a detailed explanation of each category, visit https://www.hrc.org/blog/ hrc-releases-2018-state-equality-index.]

This year’s SEI also details the onslaught of more than 100 anti-LGBTQ laws introduced across 29 states during the 2018 state legislative season, including proposals to grant sweeping licenses to discriminate, undercut marriage equality and target the transgender community – including transgender children. HRC worked on the ground with local advocates and allies to defeat all but two of these bills.

The report also points to encourag-

ress,” Ruben Gonzales said. “But, the best part about 2018’s Rainbow Wave is that there is an undeniable level of excitement within our community around this class of LGBTQ lawmakers. Make no mistake, Victory Institute will seek to build on this excitement as we look toward 2019 and 2020.”

If there is an early takeaway from 2019, it is that LGBTQ Americans will have a larger voice throughout the halls of Congress. And, we’re only getting started.

“A historic number of LGBTQ people will serve in the new U.S. Congress and their influence will shape the debate on equality legislation and issues moving forward,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute. “In the U.S. Senate, those opposed to the Equality Act will now need to look two openly LGBTQ Senators in the eyes and

ing progress for LGBTQ youth, as well as transgender and gender non-conforming people seeking to update their identity documents. Last legislative session, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed HB 1319 into law, protecting transgender individuals across the state from discrimination in employment, housing and public spaces. Additionally, a record five states • Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire and Washington – passed new protections against the practice of so-called “conversion therapy,” bringing the total number of states with such laws or regulations to 15, plus the District of Columbia. New York, which has had regulatory restrictions against the practice since 2016, kicked off its 2019 legislative session by enacting a law solidifying and expanding these protections.

HRC’s full State Equality Index report, including detailed scorecards for every state; a comprehensive review of 2018 state legislation; and a preview of the 2019 state legislative session is available online at www.hrc.org/sei.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Courtesy of HRC

tell them their lives are not worth protecting. In the U.S. House, Speaker Pelosi will have eight LGBTQ Representatives to consult about how various healthcare or criminal justice reform policies uniquely affect our community. The relationships these LGBTQ lawmakers will build with their colleagues on Capitol Hill are transformative, and with an unprecedented number of women and people of color also joining the 116th Congress, equality issues will finally receive the attention they deserve.”

About Victory Institute

Victory Institute works to increase the number of LGBTQ people in public office and provides programming, services, and other support to ensure their success. victoryinstitute.org

Courtesy of Victory Institute

Parents of transgender children call on Congress to pass the equality act

Leading parent-advocates met with the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force as part of a two-day summit featuring the release of a new guide for parents of gender expansive youth

WASHINGTON, DC – [On Thursday, January 30], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality National Council, a group of the nation’s leading parent-advocates in the fight for transgender equality, met with members of Congress to discuss their families’ moving journeys and the urgent need for Congress to pass the Equality Act. The Equality Act is a comprehensive LGBTQ civil rights bill, which is a priority for the U.S. House’s new pro-equality leadership and is expected to be re-introduced soon.

U.S. Representative Joe Kennedy, III (D-MA), chair of the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force, hosted the convening of parents of transgender and gender expansive young people. Representative Kennedy was joined by U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Mark Takano (D-CA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Gil Cisneros (D-CA).

“For transgender young people, passing the Equality Act would be life-affirming and, in some cases, lifesaving,” said Jay Brown, Acting Senior Vice President of the HRC Foundation. “These parents’ children need and deserve clear protections from discrimination throughout daily life, from welcoming

schools to inclusive health care. The unique stories and voices of these parents have already changed countless minds, and they will be critical in continuing to push equality forward alongside allies like Representative Kennedy and the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force.”

“For two years, transgender children have fought daily battles against intolerance in their schools and their communities, while the adults tasked with protecting them at the highest levels of this Administration offer words of bigotry and hatred instead,” said U.S. Representative Joe Kennedy, III, chair of the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force. “Listening to these parents today demonstrated once again that there is no force greater than a parent’s love and no force darker than a government that fails to see the humanity in her youngest citizens. We fight with those children and their parents because they should never doubt that they are heard and they are seen, and they should always know that they will never be erased.”

“Our families need the Equality Act to become law,” said Rachel Gonzales, a member of the HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality. “As residents of Texas, our family has experienced first hand the threat of both a hostile state government and cruel federal administration. Our state or zip code should not

dictate whether our daughter is protected from discrimination.”

The Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force and the pro-equality members of Congress who attended the convening are on the frontlines of fighting for transgender youth, service members, patients and workers. Members in attendance who served in the previous Congress were all co-sponsors of the Equality Act.

The Equality Act was first introduced in July 2015. A recent study from PRRI found that seven in 10 Americans (71 percent) support laws like the Equality Act, which protect the LGBTQ community against discrimination in employment, public accommodations and housing. More than 130 major employers, with operations in all 50 states, have also joined HRC’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act, urging Congress to pass these crucial protections.

The meeting on Capitol Hill followed a two-day summit with HRC’s Parents for Transgender Equality National Council at HRC’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. Parents brainstormed strategies for change, discussed priorities and heard from HRC staff and leaders, including those working to expand inclusion in schools, child welfare and adoption agencies and health care facilities.

In conjunction with the summit, the

HRC Foundation released a new guide for parents of non-binary, gender fluid and gender-expansive youth. The guide includes a helpful primer on terminology, resources for building inclusive communities and answers to frequently asked questions from parents of gender expansive, non-binary and gender fluid youth.

A recent survey from HRC underscored the critical need for the new guide. HRC and researchers from the University of Connecticut found that less than a quarter of transgender and gender expansive youth feel like they can definitely be themselves at home and more than seventy percent of transgender and gender expansive youth reported hearing their families make negative comments about LGBTQ identities.

To read the new guide and to learn more about HRC’s work on transgender equality, visit hrc.org/transgender

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

Palm Center responds to Supreme Court decision allowing Transgender military ban to take immediate effect

SAN FRANCISCO (January 22, 2019) -

The Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended a string of preliminary injunctions that had blocked President Trump’s transgender military ban from going into effect. The ruling allows, but does not require, the military to reinstate the ban for the duration of ongoing litigation over the policy. The Court simultaneously denied certiorari for a full hearing of the government’s appeal to lift the injunctions.

Palm Center Director Aaron Belkin released the following statement in response to today’s decision:

TRANS BAN

“What’s more, transgender recruits will be denied enlistment opportunities as these cases proceed, and until the court has another opportunity to consider the case on its merits.

“Lifting the injunctions – even temporarily – is a slap in the face to the brave service members who are currently serving our country and those who want to serve. Trump’s cruel transgender military ban is

“While it is unfortunate that the Supreme Court has allowed military discrimination to be reinstated, it’s critical to understand that the military is not required, and has no need, to reinstate the transgender ban, which would cause destabilizing whipsaws in personnel policy.

President Trump revoked his directive for a ban and has turned the issue over to the military’s discretion ‘to implement any appropriate policies concerning military service by transgender individuals.’ The Defense Department should not reinstate the transgender ban, because it would

based on discrimination, not facts. Multiple courts have recognized this, and it will ultimately be blocked for good.

“The military’s own research shows Trump’s ban would weaken our military. It means losing qualified, trained service members and depriving the military of qualified recruits at a time when enlistment numbers are already too low.

“Transgender men and women have been serving with honor, many on the front lines. They have demonstrated their fitness to serve. They deserve our respect and gratitude, not this cruel ban.

undermine readiness, cause significant disruptions and uncertainty, deprive the military of much-needed talent, and wreak havoc with the lives and careers of the 14,700 transgender troops bravely protecting our nation’s security.”

Earlier this month, the Palm Center released this memo [https://www.palmcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ SCOTUS-Scenario-Media-Memo_PalmCenter.pdf] providing a concise summary of facts on transgender military service and implications of the latest court actions.

“Transgender people are, indeed, people; they have the same capabilities, dreams, and devotion to our country as everyone else, and they deserve an equal opportunity to continue serving our country.

“We’re confident that our court system, including the Supreme Court, ultimately will recognize and affirm these basic American principles.

“The SPLC remains committed to securing the dignity, safety, and liberty of people of all races, ages, and economic circumstances, including people who are transgender or gender-nonconforming.”

The Palm Center is an independent research institute committed to sponsoring state-of-the-art scholarship to enhance the quality of public dialogue about critical and controversial issues of the day. Its research has been published in leading social science journals and extensively consulted and cited by US military leaders. The Palm Center seeks to be a resource for scholars, policymakers, journalists, opinion leaders, students, and the public at large. For more information, visit www.palmcenter.org.

Courtesy of the Palm Center

The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Alabama with offices in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.

Courtesy of the SPLC

GLAAD calls on White House to release official notes from

meeting with

SCOTUS spouse Ginni Thomas on Transgender Americans, marriage equality

NEW YORK (January 28, 2019) –GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today called on the White House to release official bookkeeping notes from President Donald Trump’s meeting with Ginni Thomas, the wife of US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and her anti-LGBTQ group Groundswell last week.

According to news reports, Ms. Thomas led a meeting with President Trump at the White House where participants denounced transgender Americans and claimed the historic, nationwide marriage equality ruling by the US Supreme Court was “harming the fabric of the United States.” The Supreme Court is expected to take up Trump’s ban on transgender service members sometime in the near future, and Ms. Thomas’s husband will vote on this critical case.

“The fact that President Trump is taking counsel from known anti-LGBTQ activists like Ginni Thomas regarding policies that could impact LGBTQ people and families should have Americans gravely concerned about the foundations of our government, and they deserve to see the official notes that came from that meeting,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO at GLAAD.

“LGBTQ people know President Trump wants to roll back their hard-fought progress, but this clear display of coordination between the executive branch and the wife of a US Supreme Court justice shows Americans the Trump administration will do anything to push an agenda – even if it means shredding the checks-and-balances system. The White House has a responsibility to release official notes from the meeting and provide context in the violently anti-LGBTQ work that Thomas and her organization lead.”

Today GLAAD added Ginni Thomas to its Trump Accountability Project (TAP), a list of administration officials

and related individuals with anti-LGBTQ activist records. According to TAP, President Trump and his administration have been the most anti-LGBTQ in recent history, authorizing attacks on the LGBTQ community more than 92 times. For more about these, go to www.glaad.org/trump.

Background information: Ginni Thomas’s anti-LGBTQ past

• Founding member of secretive far-right group Groundswell, which lobbies against LGBTQ rights.

• Wrote a column for The Daily Caller that promoted viciously anti-trans activist Stella Morabito. In the article, the two insisted that transgender rights are part of a “politically correct propaganda tool” that is “manipulating the masses.”

• Proudly supports “public schools who

have bathroom and locker policies that commonsensically link to biologically as opposed to their progressive agenda that there is no difference between a man and a woman, and a gender that can change from day to day.”

• Used her Daily Caller column to promote an author who claims trans rights are part of an agenda to negatively transform America: “To [author Dr. Kim Holmes], the transgender issue uses a small number of ‘victims’ to demonstrate who can make laws. By expanding an administrative interpretation of ‘civil rights,’ without Congress, the federal state solidifies its capacity to dictate American law – even if it’s public school bathroom policies. Most Republicans fail to step up and fight, he says, because they fear a popular culture that is against

them and are exceedingly shallow.”

• Included “the emergence of transgender rights” as one of the host of horribles that left-wing activists are supposedly imposing on America: “So help people connect the dots in America. There’s so much going on. Whether it’s suddenly the emergence of transgender rights, or the downing of statues or ESPN suddenly becoming left-wing commentators instead of sports people, or the closing down of free speech on college campuses, or the censorship that’s happening by media providers to conservative or pro-American voices.”

• Promoted Sam Sorbo, an anti-trans activist who claims that trans-inclusive public school policies “bully” other students.

Courtesy of GLAAD

Submissions for the 2019 Prism Awards open through February 15 BOOKS

We encourage creators and publishers to submit their LGBTQ+ comics and graphic novels for the 2019 Prism Awards

THE PRISM AWARDS are presented annually by THE CARTOON ART MUSEUM, PRISM COMICS and THE QUEER COMICS EXPO to both fiction and non-fiction comics work by queer authors. The goals of the Awards are to recognize and celebrate diversity and excellence in the field of queer comics and to promote powerful, innovative, positive, challenging stories and representations of LGBTQAI+ characters.

One award will be given in each of the following categories: Best Short Form Comic, Best Webcomic, Best Comic From A Small To Midsize Press, Best Comic From A Mainstream Publisher and Best Comic Anthology. Finalists will also receive recognition.

Eligible work must have been made or first published between January 1 and December 31, 2018 and never before submitted to these Awards. All submissions will be reviewed by an impartial panel of judges made up of professionals in the field of comics, including authors, scholars, reviewers and librarians.

THE SUBMISSION PERIOD FOR THE PRISM AWARDS CLOSES FEBRUARY 15, 2019 AT 11:59 PM PST. Three Nominees in each category for the Prism Awards will be announced at the QUEER COMICS EXPO in the San Francisco in April 2019 (dates to be announced). Winners and Honorable Mention will be announced at COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL SAN DIEGO, Thursday, July 18 - Sunday, July 21, 2019 (date to be announced).

Additional information and guidelines for submission can be found here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLScWsQLkmQXcJmnjK7M_ jXApZcE1wApgFmPzeLkph_TG1mj5Xg/ viewform] For more information, please contact: Maia Kobabe, Prism Awards Co-Founder – redgoldsparks@gmail.com

About Prism Comics

Founded in 2003, Prism Comics is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ friendly comics, comics professionals, readers, educators and librarians. Prism fosters diversity and community in comics and popular geek culture. Learn more at prismcomics.org.

About the Cartoon Art Museum

The Cartoon Art Museum’s mission is to ignite imaginations and foster the next generation of visual storytellers by celebrating the history of cartoon art, its role in society, and its universal appeal. The museum’s vision is to be the premier destination to experience cartoon art in all its many forms from around the world, and a leader in providing insight into the process of

creating it. The Cartoon Art Museum can be visited online at cartoonart.org and at its new location, 781 Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94109.

About the Queer Comics Expo

Founded in 2014, The Queer Comics Expo is a comics convention that celebrates queer culture and promotes diverse queer representation in comics, animation and graphic storytelling. The Expo is held in San Francisco, California in conjunction with The Cartoon Art Museum. To learn more about the Queer Comics Expo please visit cartoonart.org/qcexpo

Courtesy of Prism Comics

Somali counting book launch and community celebration Feb. 8

What do you do when the demand for books in your language outstrips the supply? Write and publish your own! Come celebrate Seattle’s community-created Somali counting book, Baro Tirinta Af Soomaaliga at a free public event from 5:30pm to 8pm, Friday, Feb. 8 at the NewHolly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave. S. in Seattle.

Seattle Public Library Director Marcellus Turner, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau and Seattle Housing Authority Executive Director Andrew Lofton will join the festivities from 6pm to 6:30pm to honor the book’s diverse project team of Somali families and supporters. The program will be followed by dinner and book signing. Everyone is welcome.

The innovative collaboration involved five families who live in the NewHolly and High Point neighborhoods, the Somali Family Safety Task Force, Seattle Public Library, Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Housing Authority, local teaching artist Amaranta Sandys and co-facilitator Maryan Abdulle. The book was published by Applewood Books, and will be distributed by Ingram Content Group.

In 2017, this same team of collaborators co-created and published Baro Af Soomaali, which used photographs of everyday items found in Somali culture to teach children the Somali alphabet. This book became Third Place Book’s 5th best-seller last year and the families were invited to do a reading at their Seward Park location.

This new bilingual children’s board book centers on counting from 0-12 and highlights family-created artwork featuring fruits and vegetables. Baro Tirinta Af Soomaaliga, which means “learn to count

in Somali,” gives Somali parents the opportunity to share their culture as they teach their young children how to count, in both Somali and English.

The book, written during the summer of 2018, grew out of the realization that Somali language board books simply weren’t available. The Somali publishing industry is comparatively small, few distributors handle Somali books and the stock of books readily available for purchase is very limited. The Library has approximately 200 books in Somali. Less than half are children’s books.

“The participating families were so excited to write a book that is specifically for the Somali community, as well as the wider community! They learned about art techniques and experienced some of what it

takes to create a book from start to finish,” said Farhiya Mohamed, Executive Director of Somali Family Safety Task Force, who recruited the participating families and helped lead the project. “Everyone was so proud and inspired to participate.”

“Seattle Public Library has a deep commitment to equity and community engagement and this project was the result of listening to the Somali community and working together on a solution to a shared problem,” said Marcellus Turner, the Library’s executive director and chief librarian. “The community wanted family engagement opportunities and more books in their language. Collaborating on a Somali book responds to those needs in a fun way, builds a sense of community and expands our vision of how to serve the

public in meaningful ways.”

Five workshops, which were attended by five Somali mothers and their 13 children, were held over the summer in a meeting room at the NewHolly Library. The families got to know each other and shared Somali food. The participating families decided on the layout and title, and made all other major decisions about the project. They also created 100% of the artwork in the book.

Superintendent Denise Juneau of Seattle Public Schools shares: “We’re fortunate to have a community of diverse cultures and backgrounds represented in our schools that we can all learn and benefit from. This family-generated children’s book highlights the talent of our school families. We are excited to have it available in every elementary school library and know that every family will be able to enjoy it.”

After several rounds of edits, the final draft was submitted to the publisher in November. The first print run of 1,000 books will be distributed to the community partners and each participating family will get five books apiece.

The book will be available in print and as a free PDF download from the Library’s website this spring. It will also be marketed and distributed by Ingram to libraries, schools and retailers nationally and internationally, and is also available from Amazon.

The book was funded in part by the Seattle Public Library Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle Housing Authority and Seattle Office of Arts and Culture.

Courtesy of Seattle Public Library

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