Issue 1 Volume 41
Celebrating 40 Years!
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Arsonist attacks Neighbours nightclub by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor There are two things that you don’t want anywhere near a nightclub. Fire and fuel. They equal death. We’ve all read the headlines or watched the video footage of charred bodies coming out of a smoldering club somewhere
the band that was performing, lit a firework onstage and caught the place on fire – which injured another 117 people. In December 2004, the world recoiled in horror as reports of a deadly nightclub fire emerged. In one of Argentina’s worst disasters, a flare ignited the foam ceiling at a nightclub packed with teenagers,
“This could potentially have been much worse. You have an establishment full of patrons and an intentionally set fire. That’s a very dangerous situation.” sparking a blaze that killed 175 people and injured more than 700. Some 4,000 fans at the concert by the band Los Callejeros fought to reach the exits as burning debris fell on them. But they found at least four escape routes padlocked or wired shut in an apparent effort to prevent people from entering the club without paying. see neighbours page 13
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around the world. In January of last year, a blaze raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil, killing more than 230 people as the air filled with deadly smoke and panicked party-goers stampeded toward the exits. It was the world’s deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade. Nearly half of the 500 patrons that were inside perished in the fire that was started accidentally when a member of
New Year’s Eve Seattle 2013/2014 – 750 revelers exited Neighbours after fire discovered.
Sotomayor sets Jan. 3 Billie Jean King to Gay Russians: “You are not alone.” deadline for briefs on In an exclusive interview, tennis legend Billie Jean King told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour she is “thrilled” to represent the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. “I’m very proud to go as an athlete, and as a Gay woman,” she said. “I’m thrilled.” Asked by Amanpour if there will be any protests, King said, “Maybe we should wave rainbow flags or something, I don’t know,” drawing an analogy to the Black Power salute – a raised fist – given by two American athletes at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. She added, “As long as we’re not being malicious, we can show our feelings.” President Obama named the former tennis champion, who is Gay, to the American delegation at the Olympics two weeks ago. The President himself will not attend the Games – the first time in more than a decade that an American president, vice president, first lady or former president has not done so.
Utah marriages
associated press
andrew coppa photography
Billie Jean King
Courtesy CNN’s Christiane Amanpour Special to the SGN
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has set Friday, January 3, as the deadline for Utah same-sex couples to respond to a request by the state’s Governor to halt Gay and Lesbian marriages see king page 8 there.
On December 31, lawyers representing Utah Governor Gary Herbert and Attorney General Sean Reyes filed papers asking the Supreme Court to stay the ruling by Federal District Judge Robert Shelby striking the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. see utah page 5
Washington State 1-888-BE-THERE History Museum WashingtonHistory.org 2
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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op-ed
Idaho same-sex marriage rules unlikely to survive Associated Press
Executive Assistant Mike Andrew Staff Writers Mike Andrew, Miryam Gordon, Anthony Greer, Shaun Knittel, Albert Rodriguez, James Whitely Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen, Eric Andrews-Katz, Madelyn Arnold, Maggie Bloodstone, Beau Burriola, Jessica Davis, Ron Anders, Jessica Price, Milton W. Hamlin, Scott Wittet, Nevin Jefferson, Jason A. Miller, Liz Meyer, Rod Parke, Don Paulson, Scott Rice,Leslie Robinson, Richard Kennedy, Rex Wockner
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Publication of names, photographs or likenesses of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your subscription or ad. However, credit towards any size ad will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
In Loving Memory Of
Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold
The Idaho statehouse dome
by David Adler Idaho Statesman The bricks in the walls surrounding Idaho’s constitutional provisions and laws barring same-sex marriage were significantly loosened last week by two federal court rulings, including a pivotal decision in conser-
of which draws deeply from the language and reasoning employed by Justice Anthony Kennedy in his opinion for the U.S. Supreme Court last June, when it struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act in U.S. v. Windsor. Judge Robert J. Shelby’s decision in the Utah case, which has a direct bearing on
Judge Shelby held that state laws barring same-sex marriage violate the due process clause and the equal protection guarantees of the 14th Amendment. vative Utah that struck down state bans on marriage equality. The rulings in Utah and Ohio provide a powerful head of precedential steam for a lawsuit filed last month in Idaho’s federal district court, challenging both the Gem State’s ban on gay marriage and its refusal to recognize the validity of the marriage of same-sex couples in other states. Though not bound by recent rulings in Utah and Ohio, the federal judge in the pending case surely will grapple with their premises, reasoning and conclusions, each
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the Idaho Constitution, was significant to the national drive for same-sex marriage. It represents the first time a federal court has ruled on the constitutionality of state bans on gay marriage since the Supreme Court struck down DOMA. Judge Shelby held that state laws barring same-sex marriage violate the due process clause and the equal protection guarantees of the 14th Amendment. The opinion in the Ohio case, delivered by Judge Timothy Black, is precedentsetting and speaks to Idaho law. While the
January 3, 2014
ruling applies only to death certificates, Judge Black’s determination that “once you get married lawfully in one state, another state cannot summarily take your marriage away,” represents a stark challenge to Idaho’s refusal to recognize the lawful marriages of same-sex couples in other states. Utah and Ohio will appeal these rulings, but their legal rationales for banning gay marriage, like Idaho’s, have lost their force in light of the landmark opinion in Windsor. Idaho’s exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and its refusal to respect existing marriages undermines same-sex couples’ ability to pursue their goals and dreams, disadvantages them financially and denies what Kennedy called the “dignity and status of immense import.” Same-sex couples and their children, to borrow from Justice Kennedy, are stigmatized and relegated to a second-class status. The demeaning treatment, Kennedy observed, “tells those couples and all the world” that their relationships are “unworthy” of recognition. By singling out same-sex couples and their families, and excluding them from marital protection, these laws “humiliate” the children now “being raised by same-sex couples” and “make it even more difficult for the children to understand the integrity and closeness of their own family and its concord with other families in their community and in their daily lives.” The Idaho provisions, like those in Utah held unconstitutional by the federal court, are unlikely to survive any level of scrutiny since, as Judge Shelby held, they do not rationally further any legitimate government interest, but serve only to injure and humiliate same-sex couples and their families. Recognition by Judge Shelby that the right to equal protection and due process protects the interests of same-sex couples in liberty, dignity, privacy, autonomy and intimate association represents a stirring defense of marriage equality and the pursuit of happiness. David Adler is the Cecil D. Andrus professor of public affairs at Boise State University, where he serves as director of the Andrus Center for Public Policy. Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/12/26/2944223/ idaho-same-sex-marriage-rules. html#storylink=cpy Reprinted with permission from David Adler and the Idaho Statesman.
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Local news
SOSea delivers holiday cheer to homeless on Christmas by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
courtesy social outreach seattle
On Christmas day, I had a feeling that I’d never experienced before: The true meaning of Christmas was revealed to me. Through the Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) DON’T HATE, DONATE program, I and a few volunteers and SOSea directors handed out the winter clothing, hygiene products, and food given to us by members of the community and local businesses, to homeless youth and others in need of a meal, some Christmas cheer, and to be reminded that they are not invisible. Local photographer and SOSea volunteer Richard Wood at kapchure.us Photography was on hand to drive the SOSea van and document the outreach project, which began at 10 a.m. at the SOSea Capitol Hill office, with volunteers making peanut butter and jelly (among other types of) sandwiches. SOSea Volunteer Coordinator Eileen O’Brien, SOSea volunteer Brittin Baker, SOSea Outreach Director for the Latino community Jack Mozie, alongside his mother Maria Guzman and sister Nicole Cabrera, put together sack lunches to go with the sandwiches, that included juice, cookies, snacks, a breakfast bar and more to hand out to the homeless with a hygiene packet that included a first-aid kit, deodorant, a new tooth brush and toothpaste, and much more. In addition, we gave each individual a jacket, a winter cap, scarf, pair of gloves, and a Christmas card signed by each of us. It was an uplifting experience for everyone involved as we drove up and down Broadway, walked Cal Anderson Park, visited Westlake Center, stopped by the Superior Courthouse Downtown, and talked with folks at Pioneer
SOSea volunteers pass out food to the homeless in Seattle.
There is a need. There are at least 8,000 individuals in Seattle without shelter each night, who lack permanent housing. That’s a lot, yeah? And we know that amongst all homeless youth, LGBTQ youth make up a whopping 40 percent of that demographic. SOSea, through our DON’T HATE, DONATE program is looking at ways to bring
$500 worth of nonperishable food items to YouthCare as well as hygiene products and clothes. We also stopped by Lambert House doing much of the same. This is something we plan to do once a quarter or four times a year. We would appreciate your continued help and support in this matter. Whenever you see a SOSea DON’T HATE, DONATE bin, please make a donation. “There are, of course, the people who are homeless that want. It is because they don’t have anything, so they feel they need something … anything will do. Before they even know what you are handing out, they are al-
It was the fact that we didn’t look through him, and all the others, but actually saw them and stopped, and talked, and were present in the conversation. I would do this work every day if I could!” Maria Guzman, a Peruvian immigrant and supportive mother to her Gay son and SOSea founding member, Jack Mozie, provided people with a cup of hot coffee and donated a very large amount of clothing for people to look through and take items they needed. Her daughter, Nicole Cabrera is 11-yearold and took part in the Christmas outreach event, which was wonderful to see.
“When we were handing out Christmas cards and sandwiches in particular, the spark in people’s eye as they received this gift from us was amazing.” courtesy social outreach seattle
SOSea volunteers
Square and even the U District. In all, we spent about six hours on the streets handing out items that the public donated for us to give out. The experience was one that I will not soon forget.
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that number down. If you have ideas or know of a place that we could help, please email us at socialoutreachseattle@gmail. com. On Monday, SOSea dropped off over
January 3, 2014
ready in line. And that is understandable.” said Brittin Baker. “But yesterday was amazing because, when we were handing out Christmas cards and sandwiches in particular, the spark in people’s eye as they received this gift from us was amazing. There was one lady, who gave me a hug after we gave her some food, and she already had winter gloves so she actually donated them back so we could give them to someone else in need.” “The whole experience went just like that yesterday,” said Baker, who is also known as DJ PBear, a local Gay DJ. “One guy said, ‘Thank you, this is the only card I got this year,’ after I handed him a Christmas card. He wasn’t worried about anything else.
There are so many people to thank for their wonderful generosity; in particular, the volunteers who work with Eileen O’Brien; Quyen Luu, Christine Heib, Steve Tracy and Neighbours Nightclub, Jorge Bex, Dru Dinero and Visual Affairs, Aretha Alexander and Seattle Parks Department, Missy Renes, Brooke Walker, Joey Grant, Megan Aiello, Heather Mauch, Marcela Ferioli, Rene Perry, Northgate Target Store and Sammamish Children’s School. Please visit www.socialoutreachseattle. com for more news and information, including photo and video footage from the Christmas (and other) outreach events, regularly. In addition, donations are welcome through PayPal.
Celebrating 41 Years!
national news
Brian Grimmett
Utah to hire outside lawyer for marriage case Federal court sets deadline to file appeal by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Utah’s newly appointed Attorney General got the go-ahead from legislative leaders to hire an outside attorney for the state’s appeal of the federal court decision striking down its ban on same-sex marriage. Meanwhile the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the state to file its opening brief by January 27. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes told state House Speaker Becky Lockhart that it could cost up to $2 million to hire legal help for the appeal. Reyes himself was only appointed to his post on December 23 – three days after federal District Judge Robert Shelby struck down Utah’s opposite-sex only marriage law – and he was not sworn in until December 30. Reyes’ predecessor, John Swallow, was forced to resign in a corruption scandal. Reyes reportedly told Lockhart that he needed outside help because he was coming into the case “in the middle” of litigation. “We need the best we can get,” Lockhart said after the House Republican leadership met with Reyes. “He’s coming into this, frankly, in the middle.” Lockhart said she is hearing from other lawmakers that their constituents want the state to fight to preserve the ban on samesex marriage, even if that means coming up with a substantial amount of cash. “To go through the court process on an issue, that on a 2-to-1 vote the people of our
utah
continued from cover The Attorney General’s office had previously asked both Judge Shelby and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals for a stay, but they were turned down. Absent a stay, hundreds of Gay and Lesbian couples have been married in Utah
state felt was important to have in our constitution, I think, is of value,” Lockhart said. Senate President Wayne Niederhauser has yet to talk with Reyes about hiring outside counsel, but will probably be willing to appropriate the funds in the coming legislative session. “This is a big deal for the Legislature and for Utah,” Niederhauser said. “We want the details, but my guess is that our body, the Senate Majority Caucus [the Republicans], is going to be very supportive of that idea.” The conservative think tank Sutherland Institute said it might be willing to pick up the tab for an outside attorney, if it likes the lawyer the Attorney General picks and the legal strategy he or she adopts. Sutherland Institute president Paul Mero said the money could be easily raised “all contingent on having the counsel do it our way and actually having competent attorneys.” He added that his group has already called for Reyes to appoint outside counsel in the case. Mero said, so far, the attorney general’s office doesn’t seem to “know how to defend marriage and family.… We just want to win. I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is.” “We’ve been very disappointed with counsel in the A.G.’s office to date,” Mero said. “And we think given that Sean is new in that seat, that outside counsel would make sense.” The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said in a statement that the move would be a poor not only to the interests of the state and its citizens in being able to define marriage through ordinary democratic channels, but also to this court’s unique role as final arbiter.” Nearly two-thirds of Utah’s 2.8 million residents are Mormons, and the church dominates the state’s legal and political circles. The Mormon Church has been a pillar
None of the rights of already married couples would be at risk even if Sotomayor grants Utah’s request for a stay; but couples who have not yet been married would be prevented from doing so, even if they have a marriage license. since Shelby issued his ruling on December 20. More than 900 couples have gotten marriage licenses. Utah’s application was filed with Justice Sotomayor, who supervises the Tenth Circuit. Once she reviews both the state’s filing and the response from same-sex couples, she may decide the issue on her own, or she may ask the other justices to participate in the decision. According to Utah’s filing, the state seeks to halt same-sex marriages pending an appeal hearing by the Tenth Circuit. “Numerous same-sex marriages are now occurring every day in Utah,” the state complains in the filing. “Each one is an affront
Newly appointed Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes
use of taxpayers’ money. “Defending discrimination while expending millions of taxpayer dollars to do it is beyond explanation,” the HRC said. “It should be an affront to all Utahans that their hard-earned tax dollars – dollars that should be going into schools, roads or health programs – will instead be used to be on the wrong side of history.” In any case, Reyes will not have much time to find outside attorneys. In a December 30 order, the Tenth Circuit Court said
that Utah’s appeal must be filed on January 27, giving the state less than a month to hire lawyers and draft arguments. The Gay and Lesbian couples who sued to overturn state law then have until February 18 to respond, and Utah may file a reply to their arguments by February 25. “Requests for extension of time are very strongly discouraged,” the court said, “and will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances.”
– a mere three miles from the Mormon Temple – for marriage licenses. The following Monday, 353 more Gay and Lesbian couples obtained licenses, some camping out overnight to be in line when the county clerk’s office opened Monday morning. After the Tenth Circuit Court refused to stay the ruling, the few county clerks who had refused to issue licenses changed course. Officials say demand has slowed after an initial run on marriage licenses in the first hours after Shelby’s decision. Utah Governor Gary Herbert has directed state agencies to comply with Shelby’s order, meaning Gay and Lesbian couples are eligible for food stamps and welfare, among other benefits. The state Tax Commission said it was looking at changing tax returns
to allow same-sex couples to file jointly, although it didn’t immediately give assurances that will happen. None of the rights of already married couples would be at risk even if Sotomayor grants Utah’s request for a stay; but couples who have not yet been married would be prevented from doing so, even if they have a marriage license. When the Tenth Circuit decides Utah’s appeal of Shelby’s ruling, one of the issues will be the status of the hundreds of samesex marriages that have already taken place. If the appeals court decides that Shelby was wrong, they could invalidate the marriages, but many legal experts say that courts would be reluctant to undo so many legal marriages.
of opposition to marriage equality, and was one of the leading forces behind California’s short-lived ban on same-sex marriage, Prop 8. Utah’s lawyers also stressed that states have the authority to define marriage as they please, including limiting it to a relationship between one man and one woman. “That states have a powerful interest in controlling the definition of marriage within their borders is indisputable,” they said in their filing. Shelby’s original ruling invalidating the ban on same-sex marriage came late on a Friday afternoon and sent couples rushing to the county clerk’s office in Salt Lake City
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Same-sex couples sue Kansas for tax discrimination The lawsuit also says the state agency exceeded its authority by imposing what amounts to a new regulation without first Two married same-sex couples, one Gay seeking public comment or standard legal and one Lesbian, filed suit on December 30, reviews. charging that the state of Kansas was disThe plaintiffs seek a court injunction criminating against them because it forbids blocking the department from enforcing them to file joint state tax returns as oppo- the policy and a ruling that the policy is dissite-sex spouses do. criminatory. Michael Nelson and Charles Dedmon and According to their attorney, the couples Roberta and Julia Woodrick were legally do not intend their suit to be a broad chalmarried in California, but reside in Kansas. lenge to Kansas’ marriage laws, which limit They say that the Kansas Department of marriage only to opposite-sex couples. Revenue is violating state tax laws that tie “Our lawsuit is specifically limited to the the Kansas income tax code to the federal actions of the Department of Revenue,” he code. The Internal Revenue Service rec- said. ognizes same-sex marriages, if they were Department of Revenue spokesperson performed in states where they are legal, Jeannine Koranda told Associated Press that regardless of where the married couple re- the department’s guidelines follow the state sides. constitution and Kansas law. The state conNew directives from the Kansas Depart- stitutional amendment blocking recognition ment of Revenue, however, do not recog- of same-sex marriage was approved by a nize legal same-sex marriages from other 70% majority in 2005. states. In October, the state’s Department “Several other states that do not recognize of Revenue issued a rule book titled “Guid- same-sex marriage have published similar ance for Same-Sex Couples,” spelling out guidance,” she added. the policy. Equality Kansas, the state’s leading It requires each person in a Gay or Lesbi- LGBT rights organization, praised the lawan marriage to file either as an individual or suit, saying the department had singled out head of household. The couples argue that married Gay and Lesbian couples for “unthe guidelines are discriminatory and rel- fair and illegal treatment.” egate the couples “in second-tier” unions. “By requiring legally married same-sex by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
couples to file additional tax forms and say they are not married on those tax forms, Kansas is penalizing and stigmatizing Gay and Lesbian Kansans,” said Tom Witt, the group’s executive director. Robert Noland, executive director of the anti-Gay Kansas Family Policy Council, said same-sex couples in Kansas have always had to file individual tax returns in the
past. “I don’t think anything really changed for them at the state level,” he said. All that has changed, Noland added, is the U.S. Supreme Court decision in USA v. Windsor, striking down the key section of DOMA, and the subsequent IRS decision to treat married same-sex spouses the same as opposite-sex spouses.
less. Party affiliation was also a significant factor, with Republicans much less likely to agree with evolution than Democrats and independents. Nearly half of self-identified Republicans – 48% – rejected evolution, compared to only 27% of Democrats and 28% of independents. Comparing this poll to a similar one done in 2009 reveals that Republicans as a group are growing more hostile to evolution. In 2009, only 39% of Republicans rejected the idea. The intersection of race and religion also proved to be important. White mainstream Protestants showed the highest level of support for evolution, with only 15% rejecting the idea. White evangelicals, on the other hand, rejected evolution by a 64%-27% margin. African American Protestants tended to reject evolution, with 50% saying that species have not evolved over time.
Catholics of all races seem willing to embrace evolution, with only 26% of white Catholics and 31% of Hispanic Catholics doubting the idea. Among religious people who agreed with the theory of evolution, there were also important differences in how they envisioned the process. Hispanic Catholics, for example, were the most likely to believe that evolution was a natural process, as opposed to one guided by God. Curiously enough, the few white evangelicals who accepted evolution were more likely to share this belief in natural – as opposed to divinely ordered – evolution, than mainstream Protestants were. White Catholics were evenly split on the question. According to Pew, 1,983 U.S. adults participated in their poll, with 1,017 interviewed on a landline and 966 by cell phone. The calls were live, not prerecorded, and were conducted in English and Spanish. The margin of error is 3 points.
One-third of Americans reject evolution, Pew poll shows mans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time,” while 60% agreed with the scientific Next time you’re having a drink at your consensus that “humans and other living favorite bar, look at the person sitting to things have evolved over time.” your right. Then turn and look at the person Men were more likely to accept the idea to your left. Odds are, one of you will not of evolution than women. Only 28% of men believe that living species evolved from doubted that species evolved over time, but other life forms. 38% of women did. That’s the conclusion of a new poll reAs you might expect, the best-educated leased by the Pew Research Center’s Reli- respondents were the most likely to agree gion and Public life Project. with evolution. Only 24% of college grads Thirty-three percent of Americans reject- rejected evolution, compared with 38% of ed the theory of evolution, saying that “hu- those who had a high school education or by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
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Seattle Gay News
January 3, 2014
Celebrating 41 Years!
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Houston Mayor Annise Parker and City Attorney David Feldman have moved a lawsuit blocking spousal benefits for samesex couples from a hostile Texas state court to federal court.
Michael Paulsen / houston chronicle
Houston Mayor acts to protect spousal benefits charged that Judge Millard acted improperly by failing to notify Parker that she was holding a hearing on the GOP suit before issuing her restraining order. On December 27, Lambda Legal filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three married Gay and Lesbian employees of the City of Houston, to preserve the city’s spousal ben-
Homeless LGBT youh are at increased risk of victimization and suffer higher rates of mental health problems and unsafe sexual behavior than their straight counterparts. The suit was filed in November by the Harris County Republican Party, to block Parker’s plans to offer spousal benefits to the partners of city employees if the couple had been married in a jurisdiction where that is legal. Texas Judge Lisa Millard issued a restraining order blocking Parker and the city government from paying benefits to samesex spouses. Feldman filed a notice of removal on December 28, arguing that the case properly belongs in federal court. Feldman also
efits policy. Ironically, Parker is named as the defendant in the suit. Lambda Legal previously filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three Houston couples challenging the 2005 Texas constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage. Moving the spousal benefits case into federal court will allow all the cases to be consolidated into a single federal challenge to Texas marriage law. Republicans will now have to go before a federal judge and request the spousal benefits case be remanded to the state court if they want to avoid a combined trial.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker
New technologies allow users to call, click or text crime reports
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Technology has changed life as we know it. It has affected the way we pay bills, listen to music, communicate with our loved ones and much more. There are pros and cons to living in a connected world, but one thing is certain: There is no stopping technology, and that is a wonderful thing for police when it comes to reporting crime. Thanks to technology, there are more ways to submit tips on crime than ever before. “The Electronic Security Association (ESA) rounded up the top methods citizens are using to help police nab criminals through crime reporting,” reports Bob Ogle, communications specialist at ESA. “Telephone tip lines have been around long before the first episode of America’s Most Wanted aired in 1988,” he continued. “Thanks to the ease, immediacy, and – most importantly – anonymous nature of tip lines,
this tried-and-true method is still used by police departments nationwide.” When calling a tip line, the caller will be connected to an operator who will ask a series of detailed questions regarding the crime. Callers will be discouraged from identifying themselves and may be disconnected if they give a self-description. “The information from the caller will be analyzed and sent to the appropriate law enforcement agency,” said Ogle. While many local police departments have individual tip hotlines, citizens may report crimes to an independent national hotline by calling 1-800-78-CRIME. “As text-based messaging (SMS texts and email) steadily increases as the preferred method of communication versus traditional phone calls (43 percent and 57 percent of adults in the United States, respectively), tip lines have had to adapt to new methodology,” said Ogle. “Today, citizens have the ability to submit tips and photos anonymously via text, smartphone apps or an on-
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line form. To ensure complete anonymity, these tips usually go through a third-party application to strip the tipster’s identifying details such as a phone number, geo-location or IP address before sending to police.” Contact SPD to learn more about submitting tips through text message or an online form: http://www.seattle.gov/police/contact_form.htm. Smartphone users may report crimes by downloading the TipSubmit mobile app.
The presence of adults in the U.S. on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter has exploded in the recent years. In a 2013 study, the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project reported that 72 percent of adults who are online use social networking websites. Now, law enforcement agencies are using these popular websites to fight crime. In a 2012 study conduct by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), 92 percent of the law enforcement agencies surveyed reported that they use social media, and the most common use of these networks is for criminal investigations. Nearly three-fourths of respondents reported that social media has helped solve crimes in their jurisdictions. Facebook is the network most utilized by police departments and is used to enlist help from the community to catch criminals by posting videos, photos and descriptions of suspects or local crimes. Posts can also alert the public of impending natural disasters, major accidents or other news that pertains to the safety of the community. Additionally, citizens are able to notify police of unsafe road conditions, automobile accidents, crimes they have witnessed or about which they have information, and much more. Whether it’s by phone, text, web or Facebook, it doesn’t matter how you tell the police about local crime – it just matters that you report it. Even a tip on suspicious activity can lead to an arrest involving a larger crime. Crime reporting is everyone’s business; use new technology to do your part to maintain the safety of your community. For more information about safety and security, please visit www.Alarm.org.
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continued from cover King said if the anti-Gay law was the reason for the President’s non-attendance, he should “go ahead and say it,” but added – with tongue in cheek – that, he was “sending a ‘King’ instead of a president.” Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a press conference Thursday, knocked down criticism over the law as “Western values.” Christiane Amanpour, CNN Host: Billie Jean King, welcome. Welcome back to the program. Billie Jean King, Tennis Pro and Activist: Thank you. Thanks for having me. Amanpour: How did it come about? Were you surprised to be asked to be an official delegate for the U.S. team to the Olympics? King: Absolutely. But I thought, when I was called from somebody in the government and they asked me, I thought, I would love to, ‘cause I’ve been going to Russia since 1962. Amanpour: As a tennis player. King: As a player, and I love going to Russia. I love the people. But going back as far as – you know, going back to Russia, being part of the delegation, to the Winter Olympics, is [an] amazing honor. Amanpour: In fact, you tweeted, and we’ve got that tweet that we can remind everybody about, what you tweeted: “Honored to represent the USA in Sochi and I hope these Olympics will be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people.” And that is what this is all about: You’ve been sent as a Gay delegate at a time when the Russian government has an anti-propaganda law about Gay issues. They are against this whole issue. What do you feel your political role, if I might say, is? King: Well, I’m very proud to go as an athlete and as a Gay woman. I’m thrilled. I think that, the outpouring of people getting in touch with me or tweeting, Facebook, it’s been phenomenal. I had no idea – Amanpour: What did they say? What did they hope that you’ll do? King: They’re hoping that we can help change the laws, really. I mean, culturally, I’m sure that the majority of Russians, I would hope, want each person to be able to be their true self as you go through a day. Maybe they don’t. Maybe President Putin is trying to get, make people happy, within, maybe, the conservative, small “c”, conservative, people in Russia. I don’t know. I’m sure there’s a political reason. This is just an issue that has to be resolved, because what’s happening is because bullying and hate, the hatred involved, is becoming very, very prevalent now. And you, you can be really hateful and you can bully, you can kill others and get away with it now, because of this, I think, ambiguous new law that says it’s OK to really hurt us. Amanpour: Well, – King: And be imprisoned. Amanpour: And it’s been going on. We want to show a few pictures – King: It’s really horrible. Amanpour: Two women who were kissing were then pushed violently to the ground and we have all these images. There you go. And there has been sort of an upsurge of attacks against openly Gay people. King: They can. Amanpour: So the question again is, what will you be doing? Do you know what your role will be? King: No, I have no idea as far as my role. But what I would do is if I’m asked, I’m definitely going to give my opinion. But I hope we have lots of security at the same time. I must say, there is a, there is a part of me that will be very alert, very alert, because you just never know what’s going to happen. But I just hope with the outpouring of the people throughout the world, will start to influence and, hopefully, if there’s enough of public opinion, I would hope President Putin would change his mind. Amanpour: He was asked about it in his major press conference in Moscow, and he goes on about defending “Russian values” 8
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President Barack Obama awarded Billie Jean King the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
and the difference between “Russian values” and “Western values.” Does that even resonate with you in any way – King: Not really. Amanpour: – when he said that? King: When he says that, I feel like, “What are you, in the 18th century, 19th century or what?” The – I think our values are excellent. In the rest of the world, or the Western world,
What do you think? King: I think it’s, if President Obama feels this, go ahead and say it, but I think he’s sending a “King” instead of a president over there. I’m very happy to do whatever. But I think, it would be nice, I think, if other presidents of countries would say if that is, if that is the reason, it would be nice if they say it. Amanpour: The IOC has or says it will put respect for people’s sexual orientation
Others have said, well, maybe they can do something, something positive, I don’t know, kiss their partner in public or come out in public, if they win or something. Have you had a chance to think about whether there would be any appropriate demonstration by a Gay athlete at Sochi? King: Well, maybe it wouldn’t be appropriate, but why not? I think they – it’s OK to say what you feel and think, as long as we’re protected. But if you look back at the ‘68 Olympics with the fists and whatever, if there is something they want to – Amanpour: The Black Power (inaudible) – King: Maybe we should wave rainbow flags or something, I don’t know. There’s no reason as long as we’re not being malicious, but we can show our feelings, I think that’s fine. I think it’s OK. But by even being present and not boycotting sends a very positive message. We’re here. We hope you’ll think about it. We hope you’ll change. And you’re not alone. Amanpour: Billie Jean King, thank you very much. as part of their rules. Is that, is that right? King: Thanks a lot, Christiane. Go girl! King: They need to, yes, absolutely. You (Laughter.) want protection, tolerance and, hopefully, celebration of differences. That’s really Below are links to select clips, the full inwhat’s important. And so, yes, I think the terview and the transcript. language protects. They should have it in there. Absolutely they should put it in there. VIDEO: President Obama “sending a Amanpour: What about boycotts? Now a ‘King’ instead of a president.” lot of Russians have said, we don’t want this www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/ to be boycotted because we, the Gay com- world/2013/12/19/king-amanpour-send. munity, will be blamed for destroying the cnn.html Russian Olympics. King: I’m not real big on boycotting usuVIDEO: Billy Jean King on whether ally. It has to be absolutely a last resort. I athletes should protest. think it’s more important to go and be there www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/ and be involved and be committed to trying world/2013/12/19/amanpour-bjk-boycott. to help change, and trying to let people also cnn.html know, if you’re Gay, that you’re not alone. If you’re part of the LGBT community, you VIDEO: Full interview. are not alone. amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/19/ We are there, representing all of us. That billie-jean-king-to-gay-russians-you-arewe’re going, that’s very important right not-alone/ now, because I know sometimes it must be really hard on them. Amanpour airs weekdays on CNNI at 2 Amanpour: The IOC has said that Gay p.m. ET and 5 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT and 2 athletes cannot officially protest or do any- p.m. PT). Her interviews can also be seen thing political because that’s against the on Amanpour.com. Olympic rules.
“This is just an issue that has to be resolved. You can be really hateful and you can bully, you can kill others and get away with it now, because of this ... ambiguous new law.” the democracies are important. It’s – each person can live their life and be a good citizen, pay their taxes, all that, don’t break the law, they’re creating laws that are just very intolerant to others. And really, what’s important is that each person go through their day as their authentic self, to be true to their self, as long as they’re a good citizen, and it really upsets me. What about the Gay parents, for instance, with their children? I think a lot of Gay parents will leave Russia, if they can. I would, because I would worry about my children, if I were a Gay parent. Amanpour: Some people have said that President Obama hasn’t gone far enough, that nominating Billie Jean King, as big a world symbol as you are, is not enough, because he hasn’t said that he’s not going because of this. Other world leaders haven’t said that they’re not going because of this. Now others have written that actually by sending you, it is a direct protest. It is a direct signal of protest by the United States and, in fact, as one article in ESPN wrote, “civilized disobedience.”
January 3, 2014
Celebrating 41 Years!
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neighbours continued from cover
And then there was the 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire that killed over 100 people, injured 187 more, and shined a spotlight onto just how reckless some nightclub acts can be, as news reports claimed that the fire had been started when heavy metal band, Great White’s pyrotechnics exploded during the performance. Because some bodies were badly burned, family members had to wait for DNA testing to learn their loved ones’ fate. Seattle is not in Brazil, Argentina or Rhode Island. But we could’ve made headlines for the exact same reasons – only instead of locked doors, charred bodies, and a death count of over 100 people, Neighbours Seattle, home to the city’s LGBTQ community for 30 years, I am happy to report, that despite someone’s attempt to trap and burn New Year’s Eve revelers alive, nobody was hurt at all. And that is due to the quick actions taken by the staff and customers alike, at the legendary dance club. I was there. I filmed the whole thing, led people out of the building and ran back in to see if anyone needed help. That’s when a security guard, bartender and I found the unburned plastic red gasoline container – full of gas at the top of the stairs where the fire had begun minutes earlier. The can did not catch fire because, moments before, two off-duty service members, Christopher Bostick and Mike Casey, along with Neighbours bartender Lucas Shipley located and grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the fire out in under 30 seconds. The bar staff pulled the fire alarm immediately after they saw smoke, ensured the sprinkler system was activated, and led everyone to vacate the premises. The whole thing was over within two to three minutes; everyone had exited the building and nobody was hurt. It’s almost unheard of. Here is why it worked: Steve Tracey, General Manager, is damn good at what he does. The staff reacted to everything he said, immediately, and in some cases, before he said anything at all, because they are properly trained. They knew what to do, when to do it, and performed their duties in a professional manner. Imagine if they had panicked and yelled out, “Fire!” to the over 700 people in the building? That would’ve been disastrous. Instead, they began to lead people to the many exits that Neighbours has clearly marked for patrons to see. The fact is, even during an emergency, customers did not panic, because the exits were visible to them and they could all see that they were walking towards them – not running, searching for anywhere, somewhere to get out. Fire extinguishers were also visible. That’s why two customers were able to quickly locate one and extinguish the fire, alongside a Neighbours bartender, who had also located and armed himself to battle the fire – which crept up the stairway nearest the Neighbours Broadway doors, attached to Therapy bar/lounge at the front of the building. I spoke with the two heroes (let’s face it, they saved over 700 people from a burning inferno, they are heroes) Wednesday morning, just minutes after they had put out the blaze. “We thought at first it was smoke from the smoke machine,” said Christopher Bostick. “But then we could feel the heat and turned around and saw the flames coming up the stairs.” According the Bostick and his friend Mike Casey, Neighbours bartender Lucas Shipley ran to grab a fire extinguisher and that is when they did the same. “I couldn’t believe how fast the fire was starting to spread,” said Casey. “Your mind is racing at that point. We were going to do anything we could to make sure that fire did not spread. I even thought about filling up cups of water from the bar.”
A member of the Seattle Fire Department investigates arson-set fire after Neighbours nightclub was cleared of patrons.
Luckily, extreme measures weren’t needed and the fire was extinguished. In the alley, the staff now had the difficult job of letting everyone know that they would not be allowed back into the club because it was an active crime scene, due to arson. People were undoubtedly worried about their credit cards, jackets, etc. The staff kept people calm and returned as much of the items as they could to people before they, too, had to leave.
to tragedy, Yee-Shin and I were reunited minutes later. For five years I’ve worked alongside Aleksa Manila in this community. We’ve done some solid work together. Aleksa was being her fabulous self, leading the other entertainers onstage, Cesar Hart, Atasha Manila, and La Saveona Hunt during the countdown at midnight fifteen minutes before the fire started. She updated her Instagram with a photo
“We thought at first it was smoke from the smoke machine, but then we could feel the heat and turned around and saw the flames coming up the stairs.” I felt sick to my stomach when I looked out at these people in the alley; minutes before we had all been partying together and celebrating the countdown – which is when I believe the person who did this snuck in the gas container – and that we could all be injured or dead from a stampede or smoke inhalation or fire. My husband, Yee-Shin Huang, and I were just a few feet away from the bottom of the staircase the fire was ignited in. I thought about all those people who say “Get out! I’m right behind you” and never see their loved one alive again, because, when the fire started, I grabbed him and said, “YeeShin, there’s a fire, get out now!” I am so proud to be married to this man. What I saw him do was beautiful. He immediately started getting people out of the building with him. It was an amazing thing to see. Unlike some people who have lost their loved ones
of the four entertainers and said, “Nothing’s gonna stop us from celebrating diversity & providing a safe space for everyone.” Everyone can agree that this could have been a horrible situation. I’m thankful that it was not. I am thankful that everyone did what they were supposed to, when they were supposed to, and without trepidation. “This could potentially have been much worse,” Seattle Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore told the Seattle Times. “You have an establishment full of patrons and an intentionally set fire. That’s a very dangerous situation.” Anyone who knows me could tell you I know LGBTQ history. I’m someone who believes that history is important for many reasons, but I’m also genuinely interested in it. The arson incident at Neighbours is reminiscent of the worst attack on Gays in our nation’s history – some 40 years ago.
On June 24, 1973 the New Orleans’ Gay community was celebrating Pride Weekend, as well as the fourth anniversary of 1969′s Stonewall Uprising. You couldn’t really have an open celebration of those events – in ’73, anti-Gay slurs, discrimination, and even violence were still common – but the revelers had their own gathering spots in the city, places where people tended to leave them be, including a second-floor bar on the corner of Iberville and Chartres Street called the UpStairs Lounge. That Sunday, dozens of members of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), the nation’s first Gay church, founded in Los Angeles in 1969, got together there for drinks and conversation. Just before 8 p.m., the doorbell rang insistently. To answer it, you had to unlock a steel door that opened onto a flight of stairs leading down to the ground floor. Bartender Buddy Rasmussen, expecting a taxi driver, asked his friend Luther Boggs to let the man in. What Boggs didn’t know was that someone had doused the stairs in Ronsonol lighter fluid. When he opened the door, in the next instant, a fireball exploded, pushing upward and into the bar. The ensuing 15 minutes were the most horrific that any of the 65 or so customers had ever endured – full of flames, smoke, panic, breaking glass, and screams. MCC assistant pastor George “Mitch” Mitchell escaped, but soon returned to try to rescue his boyfriend, Louis Broussard. Both died in the fire, their bodies clinging together in death. Metal bars on the UpStairs Lounge windows, meant to keep people from falling out, were just 14 inches apart; while some managed to squeeze through and jump, others got stuck. That’s how the MCC’s pastor, Rev. Bill Larson, died. Horrifically screaming, “Oh, God, no!” as the flames charred see neighbours page 16
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international news
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Is the Pope Catholic? Well, yes, unfortunately he is. For all his seemingly open-minded comments about LGBT people, Pope Francis is reportedly “shocked” by the idea that Gay and Lesbian couples might adopt children. According to Bishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, the Pope expressed his opposition to adoptions by same-sex couples at a December 12 meeting. Malta is considering a civil unions bill that would give same-sex couples all the rights of married oppositesex spouses, including the right to adopt children. Scicluna told the Pope that the legislation worried him, and Francis encouraged him to oppose it. “We discussed many aspects … and when I raised the issue that’s worrying me as a bishop, he encouraged me to speak out,” Scicluna told The Times of Malta newspaper. According to the Bishop, he told the Pope “that is exactly what I did in my Christmas sermon,” where he had argued God’s own son was raised by a man and a woman, and not by two men or two women. “My sermon was not about the rights of Gay people but about children’s rights,” Scicluna added.
LGBT rights activists in the Pope’s native Argentina said that as a Catholic prelate, he is not sympathetic to LGBT rights. “This case, demonstrates yet another time – as we have repeatedly said – that there is no will from Pope Francis’ part to change the doctrinal position of the Catholic Church with respect to the family and the lack of recognition of Gay or Lesbian parents,” said Esteban Paulón, president of Argentina’s LGBT Federation. Paulón said the church was interfering in secular civil rights issues, noting that Pope Francis had opposed marriage equality in Argentina as cardinal of Buenos Aires. Damien Thompson said in the British Daily Telegraph that then-Cardinal Mario Bergoglio had denounced same-sex marriage as satanic, but endorsed civil partnerships as a legitimate option. Thompson said the media has been too quick to applaud the pope for his acceptance of LGBT people. “What we can say, I think, is that the media read far too much into the pope’s ‘who am I to judge?’ comment about Gay Christians in his impromptu interview on the way back from Rio,’ Thompson said. “If Time magazine gave Francis its Person of the Year on the basis of his relaxed attitude to homosexuality, it should have done its homework more thoroughly.” Malta’s civil unions bill is now on its
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Pope “shocked” by Gay adoptions
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“second reading.” As in the British parliament, the first reading asks parliament to agree in principle, the second allows for amendments, and the third reading will be the final up or down vote to pass the bill.
Malta’s Catholic bishops have opposed the measure, but Scicluna did condemn a letter by a Catholic extremist who asserted that Gay people can only feel lust, but not love for their partners.
University of Salford Press Office
Queen honors Gay men by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Several prominent LGBT Brits were named in Queen Elizabeth’s annual New Year’s Honors List. The list names individuals to orders of chivalry, including, but not necessarily, knighthoods, and is intended to recognize special achievements and service to the country or the Royal Family. While the honors are awarded in the name of the reigning monarch, in this case the Queen, the list is usually compiled by the Prime Minister. At the head of the list is openly Gay Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, the Master of the Queen’s Music, or official composer for the monarch. He was named a Companion of Honor, an order for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion. An exclusive award, there are only 40 other Companions in existence. Davies’ appointment in 2004 was controversial, because of his active opposition to Britain’s participation in the Iraq war. Although he has described himself as an “old fashioned socialist,” and a republican, he said that after working closely with the Queen he found her to be a “marvelous person” and a “great role model.” Davies is battling leukemia and will retire in 2014. Gay nightclub owner Basil Newby was named a Member of the British Empire for his achievements in business and his service to Britain’s LGBT community. Newby started out as a busboy in the early 1970s, before opening his hometown’s first
Gay nightclub, The Flamingo, in 1979. The Flamingo building was demolished in 2007. He launched the cabaret show bar Funny Girls in 1994, described as a “Broadway musical meets rock concert meets Lily Savage.” He currently runs several LGBT venues in Blackpool, a resort town in Lancashire. “I kind of feel like this is for Blackpool as well as for me because I’m a Sandgrownun [native of Blackpool, in local dialect]. I was born and bred in Blackpool,” Newby told BBC News. “The businesses I’ve been [running] now for 35 years and it’s just lovely after all that time that something that is part of Blackpool gets recognition.” Openly Gay producer Michael Codron was also honored with a knighthood for his services to theatre. The 83-year-old producer is well known for popularizing the work of Harold Pinter, David Hare, and Tom Stoppard. Another openly Gay personality, Sandi Toksvig, was created a Commander of the British Empire for his work as a TV and radio presenter, comic, and writer. Conservative members of Parliament Peter Luff and Richard Ottoway, while straight, voted for the government’s marriage equality bill, as did Labor Party member Kevin Baron. All three were honored on the list for their parliamentary service. The 2014 list is also notable for being 51% women, the first time women honorees have ever outnumbered men. Among the illustrious women on the list are actresses Angela Lansbury and Penelope Keith, who both received knighthoods and the title “Dame.”
At the head of the list is openly Gay Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, official composer for the monarch.
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
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Celebrating 41 Years!
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights has warned the President of Uganda not to sign the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law. The bill was passed by Uganda’s parliament in December, but without the most controversial provision – the death penalty for “repeat offender” Gays. Instead, the law calls for life in prison. It also extends the current penalty of life imprisonment for anal sex to all other samesex acts, even mere kissing and touching. The law introduces jail terms of five to seven years for “promoting homosexuality,” including advocating LGBT rights or assisting LGBT people or events. Ravina Shamdasani, U.N. spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the bill in a statement on December 31. “LGBT individuals in Uganda are a vulnerable and marginalized minority, already facing violence and discrimination. If signed by the President, this new law would reinforce stigma and prejudice, and institutionalize discrimination,” she said. “Urgent steps must be taken to ensure effective protection of LGBT individuals
from violence and discrimination. “The government has a legal obligation to prevent discrimination and cannot withhold basic rights from certain individuals because the majority disapproves of them,” she added. “All people, including LGBT individuals, have the same human rights and are entitled to full protection by the state.” Pres. Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have also condemned the measure. Britain is one of Uganda’s principle sources of foreign aid, and Cameron suggested he would cut the country off if the law went into effect. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni promised to study the bill carefully before signing it. “I will first go through it. If I find that it is right, I will sign, but if I find that it is not right, I will send it back to Parliament,” he said. It is possible for members of Uganda’s parliament to bypass the need for presidential approval, but that would require a twothirds majority. British LGBT rights activists said they would stage a protest January 8 outside Uganda’s London embassy on Trafalgar Square.
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Don’t sign anti-Gay law, U.N. warns Ugandan president
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neighbours continued from page 13
his flesh. When police and firefighters surveyed and began clearing the scene, they left Larson fused to the window frame until the next morning. The UpStairs Lounge arson was the deadliest fire in New Orleans history and the largest massacre of Gay people ever in the U.S
Wednesday morning could have made similar headlines. But it didn’t. Neighbours Seattle is still standing, its customers unscathed, and the staff as resilient as ever. Neighbours is more than just a bar or a nightclub. It is home to so many in our community – and has been for three decades. We don’t turn our backs on that kind of support. And we certainly don’t abide an attack on our community like this. Arson Bomb Squad detectives: As of early Wednesday morning, the police did not have a suspect. Seattle Fire puts the damage estimate at $6,000. The Seattle Police Department released the following statement written by Detective Renee Witt on January 1, 2014: Suspect being sought in arson bar fire. On 1/1/2014, just shortly after midnight, an unknown suspect poured gasoline on a carpeted stairway leading to the second level of
a bar and ignited it. The bar in the 1500 block of Broadway was occupied by over 750 patrons celebrating New Year’s Eve at the time. The fire was quickly discovered before it could spread beyond the stairway and was extinguished with a fire extinguisher. Someone pulled the fire alarm and caused the fire sprinkler system to activate. An orderly evacuation was accomplished and no one was injured. Arson Bomb Detectives (ABS) responded after being notified by SFD Fire Investigators. No suspect information available. The investigation continues. Neighbours Seattle released the following statement: Last night, at approximately fifteen minutes after ringing in the New Year, someone or a group of people committed arson by dousing the steps nearest the Broadway
Street entrance of Neighbours with gasoline and setting them on fire. The assailant(s) left behind a plastic 1 liter gas container at the top of the stairs. What could have been a catastrophic loss of property and lives was diverted by the quick thinking and professional actions of the Neighbours staff. We are happy to report that the fire did not harm, or even injure anyone, because friends and U.S. service members Christopher Bostick and Mike Casey and Neighbours Seattle bartender Lucas Shipley located and grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the fire out in under 30 seconds. The bar staff pulled the fire alarm immediately after they saw smoke, ensuring the sprinkler system was activated and letting everyone know that they had to vacate the premises. Within two minutes, everyone had exited the building and nobody was hurt. Fire rescue and SPD officials arrived on scene and due to an ongoing investigation into what happened, we cannot, at this time, offer any further comment on the matter except that we are thankful for the fact that no one was hurt, honored that so many of you have reached out with words of support since the incident, and happy for your continued patronage. More information will be made available when we are able to put out the information without the possibility of jeopardizing the investigation. Neighbours Seattle, the ever-resilient, opened their doors for business less than 48 hours after the incident. Good for them. Good for us.
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Kiki with D
Jealousy or insecurity?
by D Smith SGN Contributing Writer Dear Kiki with D, I’ve been dating a great guy since early spring. We want the same things in life and have had some amazing times together. He’s an extrovert and I’m an introvert, and he surrounds himself with friends, whereas I have a handful of very close friends. One thing I love about him is that he reaches out
you’ve already forged something new. Sure, he’ll always have special feelings for her, because she’s a part of his history, but he has special feelings for you, too – and he’s with you now. Exes can be friends. Not always, but sometimes. It doesn’t sound like you have much to worry about here. Your real issue is his community, and yes, hanging out with a significant other’s friends can be intimidating. Maybe you can try to get to know these people at small dinners, in groups of twos and threes. Also, feel free to bring one of your own friends when you’re invited out with your boyfriend’s clique. Having a familiar face by your side might make it easier to get social with others. Have some dinner parties or create events that will allow you to gather together so that you will have the opportunity to mingle and get to know one another. Hope this helps. Remember be true to Dear Jealousy or Insecurity, you, love yourself, encourage yourself and Yes. That’s exactly what you should do. others. This woman is engaged. And you have -D been with your boyfriend for months, so
thing new. Maybe this is because I have never remained good friends with an ex and need to be more open-minded. Maybe it is because this is an especially close group of friends and I don’t feel like I fit in. Should I just work to get over my jealousy since he has assured me again and again that I have nothing to worry about? Or, since the jealousy really stems from my insecurities, is this something that will be impossible for me to get past until I take time to be by myself? Some people say that it is OK to be friends with an ex; others say it can’t be done without there being some kind of intimate feelings there. What do you think? Can I get past my jealousy? Do I have something legitimate to worry about? Thanks. –Jealousy or Insecurity
to friends and family and is a very generous, thoughtful person. The thing is, his ex recently moved to town and she is part of his tight-knit group of friends from back in college. I have expressed jealousy and concern over her presence in his life. She is engaged, but my worry isn’t about her doing anything. My deepest fear is that he is fooling himself and that he still has a special feeling for her that will keep us from being able to forge some-
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Seattle Gay News 17
Coming out forty years ago by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer I came out forty years ago; in late December of 1973, to be precise. After years of therapy, judo classes at the YMCA, and furtive sex in college bathrooms, I decided, at the age of 20, that it was time to take the next step. I told my parents, visited my first Gay bar, and made my first Gay friend. And I decided that I would never again hide my true nature, no matter what the consequences were. This was not easy. This was 1973, at a time when most LGBT people were only out to their partners, their close friends, or their therapists. Membership rolls in Queer organizations, where they existed, only listed first names and last initials. Though everyone “knew” about Rock Hudson or Jim Nabors or Richard Chamberlain, these fine gentlemen kept their sexual orientation to themselves. Even obvious ones like Lib-
erace would take journalists to court if they even hinted that Lee’s interest in women was platonic. They were right to be careful, for being out and proud had its consequences. I almost lost my job when my thenpartner and I appeared on the back page of the Miami News, the day after Miami-Dade County voters repealed their county’s human rights ordinance (1977). Of course, the Miami News has since gone out of business, while I am still here. Finding a famous LGBT person to serve as a role model was not easy in 1973. Most of the time, unless you were convicted of a sex crime, one kept one’s sexual orientation to one’s self. All in all, there were two types of people who were out in 1973: artists and activists. This served me well, because my goal in life was to be an artist (actually an author) and an activist. (This is still my goal.) Writer Truman Capote’s Gayness was well known, even in 1973. Other Gay writers talked about their sexual orientation in
interviews that appeared in Gay Sunshine journal; interviews that were later (1978) collected in Gay Sunshine Interviews. They included William Burroughs, Charles Henri Ford, Jean Genet, Allen Ginsberg, John Giorno, Lou Harrison, Christopher Isherwood, Harold Norse, Peter Orlovsky, John Rechy, Gore Vidal and Tennessee Williams. Though of all of them are gone except Giorno and Rechy, they continue to inspire new generations of LGBT people.
mark in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. I wanted to have a lover like Peter Fisher and to have fun with Jack Nichols and Lige Clarke. (Nichols and I later became good friends.) Most of all, I wanted to be like The Gay Crusaders, fifteen LGBT activists honored in Kay Tobin Lahusen and Randy Wicker’s book of the same name. Though I once wrote about The Gay Crusaders, it does not hurt to call out their names, one more time: Troy Perry, Jim
Finding a famous LGBT person to serve as a role model was not easy in 1973. Most of the time, unless you were convicted of a sex crime, one kept one’s sexual orientation to one’s self. Not everyone can be an Allen Ginsberg or a Gore Vidal. On the other hand, anyone can be an LGBT activist, even in 1973, if she or he has the right amount of courage and determination. Though LGBT activism lay low in Miami in 1973 – Richard Inman had moved away, Miami’s Gay Activist Alliance had gone out of business and the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights was yet to be – my college reading of “Gay Liberation” books had informed me of a new crop of Queer activists who were making their
Owles, Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin, Craig Rodwell, Dick Michaels, Frank Kameny, Jack Baker & Michael McConnell, Ruth Simpson, Marty Robinson, Lige Clarke & Jack Nichols, Arthur Evans and Barbara Gittings. Though most of these activists are gone, they still occupy a place in their community’s grateful memory. They certainly did more for us than today’s “brave” celebrities, who came out because it is now safe and convenient to do so.
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18 Seattle Gay News
January 3, 2014
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Seattle Gay News 19