SGN Jan 26, 2018 - Part 1

Seattle Gay News

Justice Department: We’ll subpoena King County officials over sanctuary policy King County and Seattle leaders: See you in court!

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

The Trump Justice Department threatened on January 24 to subpoena officials of

More

23 US cities and counties if they don’t turn over information about their “sanctuary” policies, designed to protect immigrants from harassment by federal agents.

see SANCTUARY page 12

than 20,000 LGBT teens in the US will be subjected to conversion therapy

Practice used to change sexual orientation and gender identity has been criticized by health organizations as harmful

LOS ANGELES – An estimated 20,000 LGBT youth ages 13 to 17 will undergo conversion therapy from a licensed health care professional before the age of 18, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

Also, approximately 57,000 youth will receive the treatment from a religious or spiritual advisor. These are the first estimates of US youth at risk of undergoing conversion

see LGBT TEENS page 11

“The

facts are in, and the court has what it needs to finally return this bigoted policy back to the dustbin of history, where it has always belonged.”

SEATTLE, WA – [On January 25, 2018,] Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN asked a federal district court to permanently block enforcement of the Trump administration’s plan to ban transgender people from serving openly in the US Armed

Services. The motion for summary judgment filed today in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington follows four US district court rulings and two federal appellate court rulings that see TRANS BAN page 12

OutRight Action International attends Seattle Women’s March 2.0

OutRight’s West Coast Director, Katie Hultquist, attended last weekend’s Seattle Women’s March 2.0 on Saturday, January 20. Katie spoke at the rally on the human rights of queer women, linking local and global organizing so no one is left behind,

and how we can build together a world with freedom, equality and dignity for all LGBTIQ people.

Following is a transcript of her speech:

see OUTRIGHT page 9

What is TRUVADA for PrEP?

TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.

Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP?

Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP:

® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative.

® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin.

While taking TRUVADA for PrEP:

Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?

Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you:

® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection. What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP?

Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include:

® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1.

® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP:

® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months.

® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away.

® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1:

® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners.

® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you.

® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners.

® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

TRUVADA can cause serious side effects:

® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA.

® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP?

® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis.

® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA.

® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

® All the medicines you take, including prescription and overthe-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.

®

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP

Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP:

• You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative.

• Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP.

While taking TRUVADA for PrEP:

• You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1.

• You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP.

• If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.

• See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information.

TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including:

• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP

TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1.

• To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.

Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you:

• Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status.

• Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.

HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP

• Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1.

• Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

• Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices.

• Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.

IMPORTANT FACTS

This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP

TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including:

• Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

• Bone problems.

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP.

BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

• Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis.

• Have any other medical conditions.

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

• Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

• Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP.

HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK

• Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners.

• Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you.

• Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners.

• Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.

GET MORE INFORMATION

• This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection.

• Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5

• If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.

JESSE’S JOURNAL

¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? and the American immigrant experience

by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer

Those of us who lived in Miami between 1977 and 1980 are familiar with the bilingual sitcom ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? Produced by Miami’s public television station WPBT2, the series chronicled the lives and tiempos of the Peñas, a CubanAmerican family who lived in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. Though ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? has special meaning for those of us who are Cuban-American, its message is relevant to all immigrant communities.

while remaining true to their traditions; and Ana Margarita Menéndez (Ana Margo) and Rocky Echevarria (Steven Bauer) played their children, Carmen and Joe, who are completely assimilated. Echevarria, whose Latin good looks made ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? popular with South Florida’s gay men, is the most successful member of the cast, using this show as a springboard to a successful movie career under the name Steven Bauer.

While the dialogue in ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? skips from English to Spanish (or Spanglish) and back, one does not have to be bilingual to understand what is going on. The Peñas must balance their loyalty to Cuban ways with life in a strange new world. While the abuelos are content to live in the past; and the kids are happy being American; the parents (especially Pepe) must struggle. Will Carmen be allowed to go out without a chaperone? Will Juana be able to improve herself by going to night school? Will Joe become an American citizen? This last one was a serious topic back in the seventies, a time when many Cubans, like Pepe, refused to become citizens, expecting to return to the island in the very near future. I myself could not apply for citizenship until I turned 18, thus free from my parent’s objections.

to Heaven” Joe visits a then-popular Fort Lauderdale gay disco to research a school paper, leading his scandalized parents to think that their son is gay. (Though in those days many of us who were seen in a queer bar claimed to be “doing research,” in the case of Joe Peña this was actually true.)

¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? ceased production in 1980. Still, it remains one of WPBT2’s most popular programs, without period costumes or a British accent. WPBT is currently showing reruns on weekdays at 5pm. Meanwhile, according to Johnny Diaz of the Sun-Sentinel, ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? is returning to Miami as a live stage show: “A live stage production of the sitcom – to be called ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? Today...40 Years Later – will debut May 17, 2018, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.” This is news for some of the original cast members and creative crew, who forfeited their royalty rights to this “educational” show. Both Villaverde and Martínez-Casado have expressed their outrage that WPBT continues to profit from the fruits of their labor. “We’re well within our rights to do anything we want with it,” retorts Jeff Huff, Chief Operating Officer of South Florida PBS. WPBT uses the show, and its profits, to serve the arts in South Florida. To which I say, “ay caramba!”

“¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? was supposed to be a sort-of after-school special to help recently arrived Cubans and their firstgeneration children adapt to life in a new country with a bit of levity. Instead it became the “Modern Family” of South Florida on a fraction of a Hollywood budget. It was the first bilingual sitcom on television, built on a cast of professional Cuban writers and actors in exile,” according to Miami Herald reporter Carlos Frías. Velia Martínez and Luis Oquendo played Adela and Antonio, the stubbornly Spanish-speaking grandparents; Ana Margarita Martínez-Casado and Manolo Villaverde played parents Juana and Pepe, who struggle to adapt to American ways

Though none of the Peñas were LGBT (that I know of), some of the episodes of ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? have some gay relevance. Like most traditional Cuban fathers, Pepe has a double standard that demands that Carmen remain a virgin but expects Joe to sow his wild oats. When Joe admits that he is still a virgin, Pepe worries that his son is “strange.” In “Juana Gets Smart”, Joe helps his mother by doing housework, wearing an apron. When a woman drops by to get signatures, she sees Joe with the apron and decides that he would not want to sign her petition. (This was a reference to Anita Bryant, who in 1977 led a successful campaign to repeal Dade County’s first “gay rights” ordinance.) In “Joe Goes

Those of you who can’t get enough of ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? should visit the show’s delightfully-bilingual web site (www. quepasausa.org). There you can buy ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? La Completa Collection, a 5-DVD set with all 39 episodios. (I own a copy.) In addition to the regular series, WPBT2 produced a prime time special, The Best of ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.?, which features some of this show’s most beloved episodes.

My friend Jon Pollack

by Janice Van Cleve SGN Contributing Writer

Jon Pollack loved the arts. He loved opera, he loved musicals, and he sang in the Seattle Men’s Chorus. Most of all, however, Jon seemed to be happiest with a pack on his back and boots on his feet. He thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors, hiking and camping. He was a gentle and caring trip leader who always carried extra supplies for first aid, blisters, and even food. Jon loved life and lived it eagerly. He was born on October 12, 1956. He died on January 13, 2018.

I first met Jon at an OutVentures potluck back in 2001. OutVentures is a Gay and Lesbian outdoors adventure group that grew out of Ski Buddies. Jon was organizing a back packing trip to the Hoh River in the Olympic Mountains and I decided it would be a fun experience. We hiked in 9.5 miles to Jon’s “secret” special camping spot down by the river. Jon was a master of Olympic hiking trails and he knew all the perfect spots for camping. Later that year he organized a camping trip to Shi Shi Beach on the Pacific Coast. It was pouring down rain when we got there, but the weather never dampened Jon’s spirits. He was always full of enthusiasm, optimism, and encouragement.

Jon and I became friends and enjoyed many hiking and camping adventures together. There was the 11-mile traverse of Rattlesnake Ridge and the Tenerife/Mt. Si loop in the winter on snowshoes. We did the 13-mile traverse from the Granite Mountain/Pratt Lake trailhead all the way over Malakwa and down Denny Creek. We camped at Monte Cristo and explored the remains of the old mining town, basked in the beauty of Gothic Basin, and hiked to Twin Lakes. We struggled through the snow up Pilchuck and around Heather Lake. We camped at Norwegian Memorial Beach where Jon forgot his stove fuel and I

had to cook our dinner over the campfire. Jon’s famous enthusiasm was on full display for the Yakima Rim trip in 2008. Our group crossed the open range, up a gully, and onward over ridge after ridge. Jon kept encouraging us with “it’s just around the corner” and “we’re almost there!” Of course, our destination was still a long ways off, but his optimism kept us going.

On another winter hike up to Surprise Lake by Stevens Pass, Jon coined another phrase while I was boot kicking my way up a snow chute: “Janice, this is beyond my comfort zone.”

Sometimes things didn’t turn out as we planned. Road conditions, weather, or fatigue just spelled against an adventure. No matter. Jon was perfectly happy to relax

on the drive, engage in conversation, and enjoy the company. We explored east of the Cascades as well, including Manastash Ridge, Lake Ingalls, and Ancient Lakes. We hiked together or with others and Jon led many many expeditions besides the ones he did with me. He was a Mountain Man through and through.

In 2011 Jon fell out of work and for two years he had trouble holding onto a job. He was smart and capable, and certainly personable, but just down on his luck. In 2013 he had to move out of his Queen Anne Hill condo, and his friends and I helped him pack. He took up residence south, I think it was Anderson Island, and I did not hear from him for a while.

Then in 2014 he scored an apartment and a job in Tacoma and he was his old self again. We hiked the Rampart Loop on Mt. Rainier and camped and hiked in the Teanaways. The next three years I heard little from him nor did we get together for hikes. Last year I sent him a birthday card and he was very pleased. He sent me an email to thank me, yet he made no mention of health issues.

On January 21, a mutual friend emailed me to let me know Jon had died the week before. I was stunned by the news. It took me a couple of days to gather my wits and I combed through my journal to list the hikes and adventures we had shared. Tomorrow is a memorial for him.

Death is the punctuation at the end of our sentence. I think the purpose of life is to stuff as many verbs into that sentence as we can before the punctuation. Jon Pollack stuffed more verbs in his sentence than most. His eyes have seen beauty many of us only see on calendars. His feet have trod more miles than some of us have driven. His enthusiasm brought bountiful joy to all around him.

Rest in peace, Jon.

Cascade Flag Football Association wins 2018 Sin City

Classic Flag Football Championship in Las Vegas

The Seattle Boom brought home the 2018 Sin City Classic Flag Football Championship after a record of 5-1 in the Roulette division of the tournament, which was held January 12-13, 2018 in Las Vegas, NV.

The Seattle Boom is the Cascade Flag Football Association’s travel team. This was the Boom’s second tournament; they are currently planning on attending the Pride Bowl in Chicago, IL in June and Gay Bowl 2018 in Denver, CO in October.

The Cascade Flag Football Association has been bringing LGBTQA inclusive flag football to the Puget Sound area since 2016, and they are soon to announce plans for their 2018 seasons.

The Boom’s path to the Championship included wins over LA Express Blue and Salt Lake City Avalanche, and two wins over the Denver Summit. The Boom defeated the Boston Midnight Runners in the Championship.

The Sin City Classic (formerly Sin City Shootout) celebrated its 4th anniversary this year. Over 4,000 LGBTIQ athletes came to Las Vegas to play in a variety of sports including sports such as softball, dodgeball, wrestling, ballroom dance, and bridge, in addition to flag football.

This was the first year that the flag football

For information about Cascade Flag

OUTRIGHT

I’m Katie Hultquist from OutRight Action International. I’m a feminist. I’m a mom. And I’m a proud queer woman!

For 27 years, OutRight has been fighting for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender diverse, and intersex people all over the world.

Today, I’m here to ask you to rise up and stand with LGBTI people – especially queer women and trans people – and to let you know that we will rise and stand up with you.

I’m here because in 72 countries, samesex relations are still illegal, with penalties including violence, incarceration, and even the death penalty.

I’m here because in the last 3 months, more than 200 people suspected of being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender have been arrested in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia and Tanzania.

I’m here because one-third of LGBTIQ students skip school or drop out because of bullying and discrimination, and 40% of homeless youth identify as lesbian, bisexual

or transgender. I’m here because an estimated 75,000 LGBT immigrants are still waiting for a DREAM Act so that they may have a safe and legal path to citizenship.

And I’m here because since the Presidential election, there has been an attack on LGBT rights, from judicial nominees, to attempts to ban transgender troops, to placing “religious liberty” over the rights of LGBTI Americans. Globally, the U.S. is no longer speaking up for human rights or international cooperation.

THIS. MUST. CHANGE!!!

But there’s also some good news:

1. In November, Seattle elected Jenny Durkan, our first woman mayor in more than 90 years – and our first openly lesbian mayor. Thank you, Seattle!

2. Washington state recently passed a new rule to simplify the process for people to change the gender on their birth certificate, and to offer a third gender option. Washington is one of only three states to take this step. Thank you to the advocates and organizations in our community who made this possible!

3. At the international level, the United

Nations appointed the first-ever independent expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, who monitors human rights abuses against LGBTI people around the world –for the first time.

4. And finally, 26 countries now have marriage equality for same-sex couples, including most recently Australia and Costa Rica!

These steps forward only happened because YOU – WE organized, we voted and we demanded them. And the violence and discrimination that LGBTIQ people still face – especially queer women and trans people - will only stop if we demand it.

Right now, a lot of Americans are focused on the terrible things the White House is doing within the US. But OutRight is here to remind you that this president is spending just as much time menacing people globally. From threatening war with North Korea, to targeting Muslim nations, to dehumanizing our brothers and sisters in Haiti, El Salvador and across Africa, he is dangerous. And when LGBTI people cannot count on the US to be a force for human rights in the world, then we must be there for them. We need to fight for our rights in the US,

and we must fight for women and LGBTI people globally. We cannot do one without the other.

That’s why OutRight will NEVER stop fighting for equality and freedom, for all LGBTIQ people, everywhere. And we will support our partners who are doing the same here in WA.

I am proud to march and to stand with you. THANK YOU for standing with us!

Courtesy of OutRight Action International

[EDITOR’S NOTE: OutRight Action International cordially invites you to a special OutRight Talkstory event – “Undivided: Rise Up in an Age of Backlash” – to be held on Friday, February 9, from 6:308pm at Atlas Workbase (500 Mercer St.) with keynote speakers OutRight Executive Director Jessica Stern and OutRight Caribbean Advisor (St. Lucia) Kenita Placide. Enjoy drinks and appetizers and bid on fabulous live auction items, including Hamilton tickets and getaways to Palm Springs, Puerto Vallarta and Whidbey Island. For more information and to RSVP, visit OutRightInternational.org/Seattle.]

Queer Seattle Book Club announces February and future titles

Good morning, gay book lovers.

The opportunity to read two recent gay novels back-to-back that both take place in the same part of the world is not to be taken lightly.

After spending time in Italy with Andre Aciman in December with his novel CALL ME BY YOUR NAME and in Bulgaria with Garth Greenwell in January with his novel WHAT BELONGS TO YOU, I’m personally intrigued to see

how Caleb Crain records similar experiences in Prague in his novel NECESSARY ERRORS.

Both February and March are short months with only four Wednesdays – we can finish Crain’s novel reading 60 pages a week for two months, and be ready in April to read the new Alan Hollinghurst novel, THE SPARSHOLT AFFAIR.

With more goodies lined up waiting for us: SPEAK NO EVIL, a Nigerian-

American gay novel by Uzodinma Iweala and John Boyne’s Irish gay novel, THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES, both on deck, we will have a lot of first-class reading material from all over the world.

Let’s read the first 60 pages of NECESSARY ERRORS for our February 7 meeting. I’m reading it right along with you – and after a couple meetings, if we’re not satisfied, we’ll have a different book for March.

Queer Seattle Book Club meets every Wednesday from 6-7:15pm at Seattle Area Support Groups, 115 15th Ave E #201. https://faculty.washington.edu/swittet/ SGLBookClub/

Courtesy of Queer Seattle Book Club

Lesbian couple sues US to get citizenship for their child

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

A Lesbian couple is suing the US government in an attempt to get US citizenship for their child.

US citizen Allison Blixt and her Italian wife Stefania Zaccari were legally married in England and subsequently had two children together. They currently reside in London. Blixt was the biological mother of one son and Zaccari of the other, but both women are recognized as the legal parents of both children under British law.

Massimiliano, Blixt’s biological child, has been granted US citizenship, but their application for US citizenship for their other son, Lucas, Zaccari’s biological child, has been rejected.

According to the BBC, the couple has been told that the US rule is that for a child born outside the United States to acquire US citizenship “at least one biological parent must have been a US citizen when the child was born.” Thus only Massimiliano is eligible, even though his brother Lucas is also legally the child of a US citizen.

According to court documents, Blixt was told that Lucas could not be registered as a US citizen because he was not her blood relative and because Zaccari, who conceived him with donor sperm, was not a US citizen.

LGBT TEENS

continued from cover

therapy before they reach adulthood.

The researchers also found that approximately 698,000 LGBT adults in the US have received conversion therapy at some point in their lives, including about 350,000 who received it as adolescents.

Conversion therapy is treatment intended to change the sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression of LGBT people. It is grounded in the belief that being LGBT is abnormal.

“Many professional health associations and the public support ending the use of conversion therapy on LGBT youth,” said Christy Mallory, the state and local policy director at the Williams Institute and lead author of the study. “Our research shows

The court filing adds that the US consulate denied Lucas citizenship because he was born “out of wedlock.” The couple also charges that the US consulate asked them “a series of invasive and legally irrelevant questions about how their children were conceived and born.”

Blixt told the Washington Post that she has turned down an offer to become Lucas’s legal stepmother and take him to

that laws banning conversion therapy could protect tens of thousands of teens from what medical experts say is a harmful and ineffective practice.”

A number of prominent national professional health associations – including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others – have issued public statements opposing the use of conversion therapy, and several have called on Congress and state legislatures to pass laws that ban the practice.

To date, nine states, the District of Columbia, and 32 localities have laws protecting youth under age 18 from receiving conversion therapy from licensed health care providers. According to the study, 6,000 youth ages 13 to 17 would have received conversion therapy before they reached adulthood if their state had not

the US as an immigrant.

Aaron C. Morris, executive director of Immigration Equality and the couple’s attorney, condemned the US government’s treatment of his clients.

“The State Department is refusing to acknowledge the citizenship of children whose parents are same-sex married couples,” he said. “This policy is not only illegal, it is unconstitutional.

banned the practice. Some state bans also apply to anyone who performs the practice in exchange for money. None of them prevent religious or spiritual advisors from providing conversion therapy as long as they are acting solely in a spiritual capacity.

For more than a century, health care professionals and religious figures have used a range of techniques to attempt to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently, talk therapy is the most commonly used therapy technique. However, some practitioners have also used “aversion treatments,” such as inducing nausea, vomiting, or paralysis or applying electric shocks.

This year, several more states will be considering conversion therapy bans, and pending federal legislation – the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act – would outlaw the practice nationwide.

“This action by the State Department disenfranchises children born to binational same-sex parents and places an undue burden on their families,” he continued.

Morris also represents a Gay couple in a similar lawsuit, Andrew and Elad DvashBanks.

The couple was married in Canada and have twin boys, Aidan and Ethan, but only one has been granted US citizenship, despite the fact that Canadian authorities recognize both boys as the couple’s children.

Andrew has dual Canadian and US citizenship, and Elad is an Israeli citizen. When they got married in Canada in 2011, they decided they each wanted a child genetically related to them and consequently arranged to have twins through assisted reproduction.

Their legal problems began when they decided to move to the United States and found that US authorities required a DNA match to a US citizen in order to establish the children’s right to US citizenship. Because each twin is genetically related to only one of the couple, only one will be able to establish citizenship.

The other will only get a green card, unless Andrew files papers to adopt him, in spite of the fact that both twins are the legal children of both parents.

“With such a large number of teens at risk of conversion therapy,” said study author Kerith Conron, Blachford-Cooper Distinguished Scholar and research director at the Williams Institute, “we must ensure that families, faith communities, and service providers have accurate information about sexual orientation and gender identity and work to reduce stigma and promote acceptance of LGBT youth and their families.”

Read the complete study at https://ucla. us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a8e9cc 5aaf2be7f992b2f16d8&id=a8e652c648&e =950534ef19.

The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, a think tank on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, is dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research with realworld relevance.

SANCTUARY

One of those was King County – with 2.1 million people, one of the largest sanctuary jurisdictions in the country. The threat provoked a swift response from King County officials and from Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.

“I continue to urge all jurisdictions under review to reconsider policies that place the safety of their communities and their residents at risk,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in his January 24 statement. “Protecting criminal aliens from federal immigration authorities defies common sense and undermines the rule of law.”

In response, King County Council Chair Joe McDermott and County Executive Dow Constantine issued a joint statement refuting Sessions’ claims.

“The Department of Justice has ramped up its campaign of intimidation, threatening local officials who follow the law and protect local residents,” their statement read.

“To be clear, we comply with the requirements for the federal public safety grants. The Department of Justice’s reckless actions threaten the safety of our communities.

“Just as we always follow the law, King County will always be a safe, welcoming place for all people.”

Seattle has successfully made the case to remain a welcoming city. But the fight to protect our citizens in all of King County continues.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan also issued a statement promising to fight the Trump administration in court if it attempted to interfere with city policy, and noting that Seattle was not one of the jurisdictions threatened with subpoena, even though Sessions had admonished Seattle in the past.

“As a former US attorney, I’m prepared for a legal fight with this administration. Let’s be clear: It’s a fight that Donald Trump will lose,” she said.

“With today’s announcement, it appears

TRANS BAN

granted and preserved preliminary injunctions against enforcement of the ban. It is the first such motion in any of the cases challenging the military ban that was developed in response to President Trump’s July 26, 2017, tweets.

“Without a court ruling, the possibility of being shoved back into the closet hangs over my head and every transgender service member’s head every day,” said plaintiff Megan Winters, a 29-year-old woman and five-year member of the US Navy serving in the Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington, DC. “It is impossible to overstate how damaging that uncertainty is to morale and military readiness.”

“Every single federal court to look at President Trump’s policy has already found that it reeks of undisguised and unlawful discrimination against qualified transgender people willing and able to serve our country, and it’s time to put the nail in the coffin for that policy,” Lambda Legal Senior Attorney Peter Renn said. “The facts are in, and the court has what it needs to finally return this bigoted policy back to the dustbin of history, where it has always belonged. Every day that this clearly illegal ban lingers perpetuates harm to patriotic Americans who wish only to serve the country they love.”

Today’s motion is the latest step in the lawsuit, brought by Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN and joined by the State of Washington, challenging the ban. In December, the federal district court issued an injunction barring the ban from being enforced during the litigation and requiring

“We will not allow our city and our state to be bullied by the President and Attorney General Sessions, who continue to threaten our shared values of inclusion, opportunity, and diversity. The administration’s latest legal threats do nothing to make our communities safer.

working together to ensure that immigrants and refugees who believe in the promise of America are made to feel welcome here in our community. That includes ensuring that we have the resources in place to protect immigrants and refugees who are unjustly being put at risk.”

“As a former US Attorney, I’m prepared for a legal fight with this administration. Let’s be clear: It’s a fight that Donald Trump will lose.” – Mayor Jenny Durkan

Other municipal officials across the country also spoke up against the Justice Department’s threats.

aldTrump’s Department of Justice decided to renew [its] racist assault on our immigrant communities,” de Blasio tweeted. “It doesn’t make us safer, and it violates America’s core values.”

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who serves as the president of the US Conference of Mayors, also said he would boycott the meeting.

“Unfortunately, the Trump administration’s decision to threaten mayors and demonize immigrants yet again – and use cities as political props in the process – has made this meeting untenable,” Landrieu said.

The White House said it was “disappointed” in the mayors who chose to skip the meeting but still held the event.

“We do not seek out a fight, but if necessary, we will see President Trump and Attorney General Sessions in court. We have the law – and justice – on our side. We will keep

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would boycott a meeting with Trump at the White House scheduled for January 24.

“I will NOT be attending today’s meeting at the White House after @realDon-

the military to honor the existing policy, under which transgender service members were allowed to serve openly, and transgender Americans seeking to join the military had a path forward for doing so. Because of the injunction, transgender people were able to enlist starting January 1.

“The policy excluding transgender people from serving openly in the armed forced has never had a rational justification, still doesn’t, and never will,” OutServeSLDN Legal Director Peter Perkowski said. “There is no need for a trial to establish that. This motion asks the Court once and for all to put a permanent stop to a policy so clearly damaging to this nation’s military readiness.”

“It is clear that the military, transgender service members, and the American public are ready to move beyond this president’s cruel and unconstitutional ban on trans

troops as quickly as possible,” said HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride.

“Following blow after blow to this order in federal courts, this motion for summary judgment has the potential to bring us one step closer to the speedy resolution that our brave service members deserve. Transgender people are currently enlisting and serving their country with distinction, and it’s past time the White House and US Department of Justice honors their service.”

In the lawsuit, Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN represent nine individual plaintiffs and three organizational plaintiffs – the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the Seattle-based Gender Justice League, and the American Military Partner Association (AMPA) – who joined the lawsuit on behalf of their transgender members harmed by the ban.

In October, a US District Court judge

in Washington, DC, granted a preliminary injunction in a similar lawsuit challenging the transgender military service ban filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). In November, a US District Court judge in Maryland granted a preliminary injunction in a case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. And in December, in addition to the ruling out of Seattle, a US District Court judge in California granted a preliminary injunction in a case filed by Equality California, also joined by NCLR and GLAD. The DC and 4th Circuit Courts of Appeals denied the Trump Administration’s efforts to secure stays on open enlistment in the two earlier cases.

The lawsuit is Karnoski v. Trump. Read the Motion for Summary Judgment here: https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/ legal-docs/wa_karnoski_20180125_ motion-for-summary-judgment. Read more about the case here: https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/karnoski-v-trump. The Lambda Legal attorneys working on the case are Peter Renn, Camilla B. Taylor, Tara Borelli, Natalie Nardecchia, Sasha Buchert, Kara Ingelhart, and Carl Charles. They are joined by co-counsel Peter Perkowski of OutServe-SLDN. Also on the legal team are pro-bono co-counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Newman Du Wors LLP.

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.

Courtesy of Lambda Legal