Celebrating 41 Years! Issue 8 Volume 43
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Richland florist violated law, judge says Businesses must serve LGBT customers
ROBERT INGERSOLL (I) AND CURT FREE – REUTERS
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Benton County Superior Court judge ruled on February 18 that a Richland florist violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act by refusing to provide flowers for a Gay wedding in 2013. Baronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s
Flowers in Richland, said it was against her religion to sell floral arrangements to Robert Ingersoll and his husband-to-be Curt Freed, even though Ingersoll was a regular customer of her business. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson then sent a letter to Stutzman advising her that she had violated the state’s consumer protection laws, which forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orienta-
tion among other things. Had Stutzman agreed that she would no longer discriminate against LGBT customers, the Attorney General’s Office would not have filed suit, Ferguson said in a statement, and Stutzman would not have paid any costs, fees, or penalties. Stutzman, however, said her First Amendment religious freedom rights would be violated if she was forced to sell flowers
for a same-sex wedding. Consequently, the attorney general’s office filed suit against her in April 2013. Superior Court Judge Alex Ekstrom agreed with Ferguson’s analysis in granting a motion for summary judgment against the florist. The case will now not go to trial. Ekstrom had previously ruled that the state and the plaintiff may collect damages both from Stutzman’s business and from her personal assets, so the summary judgment means she faces significant penalties. “The law is clear: If you choose to provide a service to couples of the opposite sex, you must provide the same service to samesex couples,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “Washingtonians have enacted laws recognizing equality for same-sex couples, and I will continue to vigorously uphold these laws. I appreciate the judge’s decision and am very proud of my team’s hard work to stop this unlawful discrimination.” The ACLU of Washington celebrated the ruling, saying it shows that religious beliefs cannot be used to justify discrimination. “Religious freedom is a fundamental part of America. But religious beliefs do not give any of us a right to ignore the law or to harm others because of who they are. When gay people go to a business, they should be treated like anyone else and not be discriminated against,” said Sarah Dunne, ACLU of Washington Legal Director.
Tough words from Seattle Police Union president to cops
Texas courts allow one same-sex marriage, block the rest
tainly, tired of it happening, tired of nothing being done about it, and above all – tired of the Seattle Police Union defending them. A police force is a constituted body of persons empowered by the state to enforce the law, protect property, and limit civil disorder. Cops are paid through taxes. The police force is supposed to be made up of individuals that are, in fact, members of the very communities in which they police. While some corruption is expected, it is also the expectation of the public that bad apples be dealt with swiftly and with a heavy hand. After all, most people believe that the worst people who break laws are those who took an oath to uphold laws. Nobody is supposed to be above the law – especially the people we entrust to enforce it. So it is unfortunate that, in Seattle, officers that should be fired, aren’t fired, and officers that should be brought up on charges SPOG President Ron Smith – seattletimes.com for everything from violating someone’s civby Shaun Knittel il rights to corruption, aren’t charged with a SGN Associate Editor damn thing. In some cases these officers are promoted. They are “spoken to” by a superI know I’m not the only one that thinks, visor – again and again and again. They are “Why did this person become a cop in the sent home, with pay, while internal investifirst place” whenever I read about or see on gations are performed and nothing ever rethe news yet another officer from the Seattle Police Department under fire for bias policing. It is tiresome. And people are, most cersee tough words page 3
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Texas district judge allowed one Lesbian couple to marry February 18, but just hours later the state Supreme Court ordered a halt to all other same-sex marriages. Judge David Wahlberg ordered Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir to issue a marriage license for Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant. The two were married by Rabbi Kerry Baker immediately afterward, in front of the county clerk’s office. Goodfriend and Bryant had been together 31 years, and had been denied a marriage license when they applied eight years ago. They have two teenage daughters, Dawn and Ting. The Texas ban on same-sex marriage has been invalidated by a federal court, but that decision has been stayed pending a hearing by the Fifth Circuit Court or a final decision
on marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court. Wahlberg issued the license to Goodfriend and Bryant, after consulting with Travis County Attorney David Escamilla, because one of the couple has cancer and may not live to see the issue finally resolved. According to Burnt Orange Report, a local Gay publication, the marriage cannot be invalidated under state law without the consent of the spouses. Nevertheless, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told The Associated Press he is seeking to void the marriage, but did not offer any further explanation. The Texas Supreme Court also intervened with an emergency order blocking any further same-sex marriage licenses. That order does not affect the GoodfriendBryant marriage, but it will prevent other couples from marrying, even if they have similar health issues. Texas voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on Gay marriage in 2005.
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Tough words continued from cover
ally happens in the end. And at the forefront of standing up – or sweeping under the rug (depending on how you look at it) – for these rogue officers is the Seattle Police Union, otherwise known as the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG). Every now and then though, something or a sequence of things happen and there is little that can be done to erase it. An educated public is a danger to anyone that is up to no good. These moments change the way people look at cops and the power they wield. Socially, anger begins to rise and the calls for justice become so deafening that the embattled are only left with the possibility of capitulating. Supporters of police reform got a gift in the form of a racist named Cynthia Whitlatch who stupidly and loudly marched around – on and off duty – showing her true colors. The ignorant police officer took to Twitter calling the people protesting in Ferguson racists and more. And after video surfaced of her wrongfully arresting a 69-yearold black man for walking down the street and using a golf club as a cane, more and more people continue to come forward with their own unpleasant interaction with this unpleasant person issued a badge and gun for over a decade. Although Whitlatch sits
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at home under investigation and no longer wears a badge or gun, she continues to collect a paycheck. The results of the investigation into her conduct are expected – nobody knows when. Whitlatch is most certainly not the only racist person with a badge and she, unfortunately, will not be the last. In fact, after allegations of her racist tweets made headlines, another SPD officer was sent home under investigation for the same thing. Obviously a genius, right? According to SPOG President Ron Smith, police officers who don’t understand racism – or any negative-ism for that matter – have no place in the department. It all started with a Facebook message. Last week a post on SPOG’s Facebook page read, “Times have changed and we must also change to adapt to societal expectations.” If you instantly thought, “Somebody must have hacked the SPOG account” you aren’t alone. Surprisingly, nobody hacked them. The message was authentic and it came from the guy at the top: Smith. According to comments Smith made this week to the Stranger, he’s repeatedly told some of his members that complain, “You applied here. And you have to treat people all the same. You have to serve the community. If you don’t like the politics here, then leave and go to a place that serves your
February 20, 2015
worldview.” He also said he tells them, “They hired you because they thought you were going to be able to work in a diverse community. And if you can’t, well then, I guess there are still places across the country that aren’t diverse, so go work there. But those won’t last forever.” According to Smith, he doesn’t know why anybody that isn’t tolerant would ever even apply to work at SPD. “There are more than enough places across this country that are hiring law enforcement that have a different political landscape than here,” he said, adding, “And I don’t know why they don’t just go there.” Seattle police officers need to “check their bias at the door” when they walk into work says Smith. SPD officers went through bias-free police training last year and Smith says, “Hopefully we have some more of that [training] this year to really strike home the concept of getting rid of those biases.” “We need to treat everyone the same. Regardless of race, gender identity, economic class – all the same,” he continued. “I’m going to try to do better on things,” he added. “I stand firm on the fact that if you don’t like... the political environment of the city, then go someplace else... You gotta change with the times. You gotta embrace what we have here.”
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2015 Pride Parade Grand Marshals announced
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor It’s mid-February and although many people might not be thinking about 2015 Seattle Pride yet, the truth is, it’s right around the corner. Before you know it the seemingly month-long Seattle LGBTQ Pride celebrations will be upon us and the parade will march valiantly through the streets of downtown Seattle and leading that parade are the grand marshals. This week, Seattle Pride announced the Wildrose owners Martha Manning and Shelley Brothers, and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan, as Grand Marshals in Seattle’s 41st Annual Pride Parade.
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE: Seattle’s most notable Lesbian space – The Wildrose – has been a Capitol Hill institution among the Sapphic City for over 30 years. The “no frills” bar currently ties with San Francisco’s The Wild Side West as the longest running Lesbian bar in America. “When we began discussing options for 2015 Grand Marshals, there was no hesitation when Martha and Shelley’s names came up on behalf of the establishment so many women know and love here in Seattle. Their hard work, dedication and loyalty to the Seattle Lesbian community is apparent, and we wanted to give a little something back,” said Sarah Toce, Seattle Pride Communications Director and member of the board. Seattle Pride President Eric Bennett added, “The Wildrose is a cherished business
that has given the LGBTQ community a safe place to congregate here in Seattle. Current owners Martha and Shelley personify what Seattle Pride identifies as part of the Lifetime of Pride!” The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan are an order of 21st Century nuns, dedicated to the promulgation of Universal Joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt. They work to raise money for AIDS charities, fight for queer rights and visibility, do safer sex outreach, and strive diligently to maintain their senses of humor – never taking themselves so seriously they forget to have fun. “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan give themselves selflessly to the LGBTQ community by raising awareness and money for nonprofits. They dem-
onstrate daily what ‘Service above oneself ’ is all about,” Bennett said. “The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan are incredibly humbled to be recognized in this fashion for the work we do within our community,” said Sister Ophelia Onassis. “We love all of you, and wish all to have a happy and safe Pride!” This year’s Parade will commence on Sunday, June 28. Visit SeattlePride.org to register for the parade.
The 34th Business & Humanitarian Awards Dinner by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
its two-millionth dollar in scholarships in Community Leader of the Year Rev. David Strong, AIDS Housing Asso- 2015. For more information about GSBA, visit www.thegsba.org. ciation of Tacoma
Each year, the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) honors those individuals and businesses who incorporate philanthropy and volunteerism into their business model and who are “walking the talk for equality” at its Business & Humanitarian Awards Dinner, because, according to the organization’s officials, the GSBA believes that business success is not measured solely in the board room or in terms of wealth. “As business and community leaders, our honorees have demonstrated their success in business as well as their commitment to giving back to their communities,” says Louise Chernin, President and CEO of GSBA. “We also recognize them for their visible support of the community. They walk the talk for equality every day.” This year, the GSBA will honor the following recipients at the 34th annual Business & Humanitarian Awards Dinner:
Special Recognition – Voice for Equality Jen Self, PhD, MSW, Q Center, University of Washington
New Business of the Year Urban Animal, Cherri Trusheim, DVM Business Leader of the Year Linda Derschang, The Derschang Group Business of the Year Holland America Line, Rick Meadows, President of Seabourn & Cunard Line, North America Corporate Leader of the Year The Space Needle, Karen Olson Nonprofit of the Year Ingersoll Gender Center, Marsha Botzer
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The awards dinner will be held at the Marriott Seattle Waterfront (2100 Alaskan Way) on February 24, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Governor Jay Inslee will deliver special remarks and Justice Mary I. Yu will give the evening’s keynote address. According to officials, the businesses, nonprofits and leaders being recognized all have a proven track record of community engagement and giving back, and they have been especially supportive of the LGBT and allied community. The leaders being honored with GSBA Business & Humanitarian Awards are chosen by a committee comprised of former Awards recipients. GSBA thanks the event’s Presenting Sponsor: Vulcan; Dinner Sponsors: Goodwill, RBC Wealth Management, Safeco Insurance and Wells Fargo; and Award Sponsors: Pride Foundation and BECU. Ticket information is available at 206363-9188; www.thegsba.org. Established in 1981, the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) is the largest LGBTQ and allied chamber of commerce in North America. GSBA is widely known for its work on business development, connecting community through business, advocacy on behalf of civil rights and businesses and promoting LGBT tourism through its Travel Gay Seattle initiative. GSBA invests in the next generation of leaders by sponsoring a Scholarship Fund which will give out
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Celebrating 41 Years!
Texas state Judge says ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Texas state judge ruled on February 17 that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Travis County Probate Judge Guy Herman ruled in a case involving the estate of Stella Powell. Prior to her death from colon cancer last summer, Powell had lived for eight years with Sonemaly Phrasavath. They had been married in a Zen ceremony in Texas, though the marriage was not legally valid in the state. Powell had no will. Phrasavath had asked the judge to recognize her relationship with Powell as a common law marriage, thus al-
lowing her to inherit Powell’s estate. Two of Powell’s siblings also claimed the estate, however, leading to the court battle. Phrasavath challenged the constitutionality of the state’s prohibition on same-sex marriage as a first step toward establishing her claim of common-law marriage with Powell. After a one-hour hearing, Herman agreed the ban was unconstitutional. Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said she will consult with Herman and county lawyers to determine the impact of the ruling. At this point, no same-sex marriage licenses will be issued. “I am scrambling, trying to find out if there is anything I can do. Right now, I think it’s no, but we are checking,” she said. De-
Beauvoir previously said that she is ready to begin distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as soon as allowed by the courts. The lawyer for the Powell siblings who opposed Phrasavath’s claim said no decision has been made on whether to appeal. Attorney General Ken Paxton declined
an offer to be party to the case and therefore does not have standing to appeal. A federal district judge already ruled the Texas ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional in February 2014, and a Texas state judge followed suit in April. Both rulings were appealed by then-Attorney General and now Governor Greg Abbott.
Southern Bapists wave white flag over marriage Judge Roy Moore vows to fight on
Another attendee asked Moore if he believed that Christians should practice “civil disobedience” over the issue, citing the other Moore – Judge Moore, who advised Alabama probate judges to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Russell Moore said Christians shouldn’t confuse disobeying laws they don’t support with appropriate civil disobedience. If Christians are not able to obey laws in good conscience, he said, they may have to resign as state officials and act in accordance with their beliefs as regular citizens. On Fox News’s February 15 Sunday show Judge Moore remained defiant, however.
Even if the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, he said, it would still be unlawful and he personally would not comply with it. “This power over marriage, which came from God under our organic law, is not to be redefined by the United States Supreme Court or any federal court,” Moore told Fox News Sunday. Judge Moore added that Alabama probate judges who do issue same-sex marriage licenses as ordered by U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade are “breaking the Alabama constitution sanctity-of-marriage amendment, which has not been overturned by the United States Supreme Court.” “We’ve got this federal intrusion into state sovereignty … occurring right under our nose and nobody is standing up,” Judge Moore said. “Twenty-one states have bowed down to federal court orders when they didn’t have to,” he added, referring to states where Gay marriage has gone into effect after federal court rulings. “We’ve got to understand that what a judge says is not law,” he added. Even a U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality would not settle the issue, Moore claimed. “They may do it, but they may do it wrongfully, just like they did in” the proslavery 1857 Dred Scott decision and the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson ruling backing racial segregation. “I would not be bound thereby” if the Supreme Court declares a right to Gay marriage, Justice Moore said. “I could recuse or dissent, as a justice from Delaware did in the Dred Scott case in 1857. They ruled black people were property. Should a court today obey such a ruling that is completely contradictory to the Constitution?” Moore asked. The judge did not say what form his recusal or dissent would take, but he has already advised Alabama state judges to nullify a standing federal court order.
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Judge Roy Moore by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The top policy official of the conservative Southern Baptist Convention told his co-religionists that they should stop standing in the way of same-sex marriage. Meanwhile Alabama Chief Judge Roy Moore said he would defy even the U.S. Supreme Court to stop Gays and Lesbians from marrying. Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, spoke at the commission’s quarterly luncheon on February 12. When he opened the floor to questions he was asked about the federal court order that struck down Alabama’s ban on samesex marriage. Unexpectedly, Moore told the group not to “wring their hands” over it. “We’ve had moral decadence since Eden, and that decadence shows up in various ways at various times,” Moore told the group. “We also have the light of Christ that
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shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it. “So if you have a group of Christians who are wringing their hands and thinking we’re in a situation where we just can’t go forward, then you also have a group of Christians who don’t understand the power of the Gospel.”
Jury finds for City in Houston rights ordinance trial
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
errors. District Judge Robert Schaffer will now review how many signatures are valid to see if there are enough to qualify the repeal for the ballot. According to the Houston Chronicle, the judge was not present in the courtroom when the jury returned its verdict after six days of deliberations. At stake is a new law which protects Houston’s LGBT community from discrimination. Lesbian Mayor Annise Parker was the leading advocate for the measure. Anti-Gay groups petitioned to repeal the ordinance, but City Attorney David Feldman ruled that many of the signatures they submitted were invalid. The anti-Gay forces then sued to reverse his decision. Attorneys for both sides said they expect the judge to rule in their favor. “Anyone who was hoping that the jury’s verdict would give a clear indication that the Houston equal rights ordinance is valid and will withstand this attack should be thrilled and dancing in their kitchen because that’s what the jury did here,” attorney Geoffrey Harrison said. “The jury rejected out of hand the repeal petition from the plaintiffs.” Harrison – working for the City of Houston – contends the anti-Gay group is more than 10,000 signatures short of qualifying for the ballot. The jury found A Houston jury found on February that 12 of the 13 petitioners in question 13 that anti-Gay activists petitioning to submitted pages containing forgery, repeal the city’s new equal rights ordi- Harrison noted, and some high-volume nance had committed forgery and other
petitioners did not properly sign the pages they collected. The law’s conservative opponents, however, maintained they would prevail when the judge begins his review. Schaffer has the power to reject some of the jury’s findings, they said. Lawyer Andy Taylor said the jury found that none of the 13 circulators in question committed fraud – even though the jury did find forged signatures. And on the question of whether or not 98 different petitioners correctly “signed and subscribed” the pages they submitted, Taylor said he was encouraged that the jury found that 33 of them had done so. “The thing that is super significant here is that the jury found no fraud,” Taylor said. “This mayor has been claiming for over six months that these hardworking citizens committed fraud and this jury found that they did not. So they can take that to the bank.” Parker said in a statement Friday that she was “very pleased” with jury’s ruling and expected the judge would ultimately rule that critics’ petition had failed. She also said she hoped the opponents would not take the fight to the appellate courts. “I believe that the majority of Houston wants this divisive fight to be over so that we are able to provide equal rights protections for all of our residents,” Parker said. “The city is confident it will prevail.”
Webinar: The Relationship between LGBT Inclusion and Economic Development by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
evidence in many countries that discrimination and violence against LGBT people create economic harms for individuals that also The Williams Institute at UCLA School affect a country’s economic performance. of Law and USAID invite you to join them Speakers include: Stephen O’Connell, for a webinar about the relationship be- Chief Economist, USAID; Lee Badgett, Wiltween LGBT inclusion and economic devel- liams Distinguished Scholar and Director of opment, February 25, 7 a.m. the Center for Public Policy and AdminisAccording to officials, speakers will re- tration, University of Massachusetts Amview some of the connections, at the micro herst; Kees Waaldijk, Professor of Comparaand macro level, between rights and income. tive Sexual Orientation Law, Leiden Law The speakers will also present the findings of School, The Netherlands, and former Mca study that analyzes the impact of the treat- Donald/Wright Chair of Law, The Williams ment of LGBT people on economic develop- Institute. ment in 39 emerging economies and other The webinar will be moderated by R. selected countries. Bradley Sears, Roberta A. Conroy Scholar of The study uses, for the first time, the Law and Executive Director, The Williams Global Index on Legal Recognition of Ho- Institute at UCLA School of Law. mosexual Orientation, based on eight catTo register go to http://williamsinstitute. egories of legal recognition and protection law.ucla.edu/. Call-in instructions will be for Lesbians and Gay men. The study also provided after you RSVP. Toll-free internauses a provisional index on Transgender tional numbers are available for some counrights. The researchers found substantial tries.
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New aggressive HIV strain found in Cuba
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A new aggressive HIV strain that appears to develop into AIDS within three years of infection has been identified in some patients in Cuba. This new finding seems to cast doubt on reports by British scientists that HIV is evolving into less virulent and less contagious forms. Researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium identified the new HIV strain. Their research has been published in the journal EBioMedicine. For the study, the researchers analyzed blood samples of 73 recently infected patients. Among the group, 52 already had full-blown AIDS, while the remaining 21 were HIV-positive but the virus had not yet progressed. The researchers compared their
findings to blood samples of 22 AIDS patients who had more common strains of the virus. While prompt treatment with antiretroviral drugs can contain HIV almost indefinitely, without treatment HIV infection usually progresses to AIDS within 5 to 10 years, according to Anne-Mieke Vandamme, a medical professor at Belgium’s University of Leuven. “So this group of [Cuban] patients that progressed very fast, they were all recently infected,” Vandamme told Voice of America. “And we know that because they had been HIV-negative tested one or a maximum two years before.” None of the patients had received treatment for the virus, and all of the patients infected with the mutated strain of HIV developed AIDS within three years. In two
other groups of HIV patients the disease progressed normally. Cuban health officials alerted the scientists when they noticed the unusually aggressive advance of the disease in some patients. While fast progression of HIV to AIDS is usually the result of the patient’s weak immune system rather than the particular subtype of HIV, the Cuban case is different, researchers say. “Here we had a variant of HIV that we found only in the group that was progressing fast. Not in the other two groups. We focused in on this variant [and] tried to find out what was different. And we saw it was a recombinant of three different subtypes.” HIV normally infects cells by attaching itself to what is called a co-receptor, and the transition to AIDS usually occurs when the virus switches – after many years – from coreceptor CCR5 to co-receptor CXCR4. The new strain, now named CRF19, makes the switch much faster. The researchers found that patients with CRF19 had higher levels of the virus in their blood compared with those who had more common strains. Researchers suspect that this aggressive form of HIV occurs when fragments of other subsets of the virus cling to each other through an enzyme that makes the virus more powerful and easily replicated in the body. The variant has also been observed in Africa, but in too few cases to be fully studied. Researchers said the strain is more widespread in Cuba. While the aggressive form of HIV responds to most antiretroviral drugs, people may not realize they have AIDS until it is too late for treatment to do them any good. Vandamme warned that people having unprotected sex with multiple partners should
be tested for HIV early and often. An earlier study at the University of Oxford in Britain – released for World AIDS Day 2014 – said that as HIV evolves, it takes longer to replicate itself, and therefore it becomes less easily transmitted to new hosts. It also takes longer for HIV infections to become symptomatic. The Oxford research team reached its conclusion by comparing the progress of HIV infections in Botswana, which has dealt with the HIV epidemic for a long time, and South Africa, where HIV arrived a decade later. The Belgian study may have found the proverbial “exception that proves the rule.” In other words, while it may be true that HIV is evolving less aggressive strains, Belgian researchers could have identified a freak strain of HIV whose evolution runs counter to the general trend. In any case, the news indicates that hopes for a more easily-managed virus may be premature.
Possible HIV vaccine? by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have announced the creation of a new protein molecule that blocks HIV from entering host cells. The new molecule is so effective at preventing HIV infection that it might be used in the future as an HIV vaccine. The research was published online February 18 by the journal Nature. At present, the protein molecule is only considered a drug candidate, pending further testing, but TSRI scientists said that it “blocks every strain of HIV-1, HIV-2 and SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus) that has been isolated from humans or rhesus macaques, including the hardest-to-stop variants. It also protects against muchhigher doses of virus than occur in most human transmission and does so for at least eight months after injection.” Data from the new study showed the molecule binds to the envelope of HIV-1 more potently than even the most promising HIV antibodies. Also, when macaque models were inoculated with the drug candidate, they were protected from multiple challenges by SIV. “Our compound is the broadest and most potent entry inhibitor described so far,” said Michael Farzan, a TSRI professor who led the effort. “Unlike antibodies, which fail to neutralize a large fraction of HIV-1 strains, our protein has been effective against all strains tested, raising the possibility it could offer an effective HIV vaccine alternative.” Antibodies use the body’s own defenses to try to neutralize HIV, but the new compound blocks HIV from attaching to human cells and entering them.
When HIV infects a cell, it targets the CD4 lymphocyte, an integral part of the body’s immune system. HIV fuses with the cell and inserts its own genetic material – in this case, single-stranded RNA – and transforms the host cell into an HIV manufacturing site. The new study builds on previous discoveries by Farzan, who discovered that a co-receptor called CCR5 exhibits unusual characteristics in its HIV-binding region, and that proteins modeled on those characteristics can be used to prevent infection. Based on this prior research, Farzan and his team designed the new protein molecule so that it binds to two sites on the surface of the virus simultaneously, preventing entry of HIV into the host cell. “When antibodies try to mimic the receptor, they touch a lot of other parts of the viral envelope that HIV can change with ease,” said TSRI Research Associate Matthew Gardner, the first author of the study with Lisa M. Kattenhorn of Harvard Medical School. “We’ve developed a direct mimic of the receptors without providing many avenues that the virus can use to escape, so we catch every virus thus far.” The team also leveraged existing technology in designing a delivery vehicle. They used a small, relatively innocuous engineered virus that causes no disease. Once injected into muscle tissue, the vehicle turns those cells into “factories” – just as HIV does – that could produce enough of the new protective protein to last for years, and maybe decades, Farzan said. “This is the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of work on the biochemistry of how HIV enters cells,” Farzan said. “When we did our original work on CCR5, people thought it was interesting, but no one saw the therapeutic potential. That po-
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tential is starting to be realized.” The new molecule still needs to be tested for safety when used on humans, although Fazan said he foresaw no issues in that regard.
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Polling looks good for Irish marriage referendum should become the next Taoiseach (Prime Minister). Three-quarters of those who do not want him to become the next Taoiseach also said his sexuality does not influence their opinion. Current Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is trailing behind Varadkar with a little more than one in five saying he should continue to lead the party when the country goes to the polls. The Marriage Equality referendum is considered a major test of Kenney’s leadership and anything but a resounding win for
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Almost two-thirds of Irish voters want to change the country’s constitution to allow same-sex marriage, according to a new Sunday Independent/Millward Brown poll. The constitutional amendment is supported by the Irish government, although the ruling Fine Gael party is generally conservative, and a referendum on the issue will be held in spring. The poll is not entirely good news, however. While 62% of respondents favor equality, one-third of them say their support is “soft,” meaning they could be persuaded to change their minds. Another 22% of respondents say they “don’t know” how they will vote. Only 16% say they will vote against the amendment to recognize Gay and Lesbian marriages. The highest levels of support for equality was recorded among those under 35 (73%
support), and Sinn Fein members (72%). Sinn Fein is a republican party, which in the context of Irish politics means it favors reunification of Ireland free of British influence. Sinn Fein’s overwhelming support for same-sex marriage is surprising because republicanism is usually associated with Ireland’s Catholics. Women support the idea by 68%, and Fine Gael members by 66%. On the other side, the greatest opposition comes from voters over 65 (36% say they will vote No), and farmers (32% No). Members of the center-left Fianna Fail party also show unusually high opposition to equality (29% No) – probably because their Fine Gael rivals proposed the referendum. Poll respondents also showed overwhelming support for Health Minister Leo Varadkar, who recently announced he is Gay. Almost three-quarters of those surveyed said Varadkar’s decision to come out made no difference to their opinion that he
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the Yes camp would be seen as a failure for Kenny and could lead to his replacement by the openly Gay Varadkar. The Labor Party, now the junior partner in a coalition government led by Fine Gael, is “throwing every resource into campaigning for a Yes vote but their Coalition colleagues are not treating the referendum with the same enthusiasm,” according to the Independent newspaper. Fine Gael politicos who represent conservative rural districts are reportedly softpedaling the referendum, fearing a backlash from voters in their constituencies.
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February 20, 2015
Celebrating 41 Years!
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