Celebrating 46 Years! Issue 29 Volume 48
FRIDAY July 17, 2020 FREE!
25¢ in bookstores & newsstands
DONATE TO SGN TODAY!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
Seattle Gay News S E AT T L E ’ S L G B T Q N E W S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T W E E K LY
Retired out volleyball coach Initial actions to transform James Finley hopeful SPD and reimagine for LGBTQ advancement community safety in college sports DURKAN DIGEST:
Photo by Ted S. Warren / AP
SEATTLE (July 13, 2020) – In recent weeks, [Seattle Police Department (SPD)] Chief Carmen Best and I [Mayor Durkan] have taken a hard look at the Seattle Police Department’s budget and made a series of changes to policing. We believe we can build a new model for community safety in Seattle by reimagining our approach to policing and investing deeply in community.
James Finley – Photo by Yosef Chaim Kalinko
You can read about my vision and actions so far [at www.seattle.gov/mayor/ rethinking-policing]. One of my early commitments was rethinking the police budget. Three weeks ago, Chief Best and I began the work of reviewing the SPD’s budget. Today, we outlined our early actions to
Police misconduct not my fault, Durkan says
Photo by Ted S. Warren / AP
Attorneys for Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan filed a motion July 15, asking King County Judge Mary Roberts to reconsider her decision to certify a recall petition against the mayor.
Finley retired in December after leading Seattle University’s women’s volleyball program for seven seasons, capping off a 21-year collegiate coaching career
see DURKAN DIGEST page 4
Durkan asks judge to reconsider certifying recall petition
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
by Brian C. Bell Outsports
https://www.outsports.com/2020/7/13/ 21320483/james-finley-lgbt-volleyball-seattleuniversity-gay-vcu-ncaa-nike Reprinted with permission by Outsports and its parent company, Vox Media
see FINLEY page 5
GLAAD: Trump does not have a “great record” on LGBTQ acceptance
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany.(l) and Trump – Photo by Alex Brandon / AP
Roberts ruled on July 10 that one of the original seven charges against Durkan was valid, and that the petition to recall her could move forward to the signature-gathering phase. Durkan has been under fire for actions
see RECALL page 4
White House press secretary falsely claims Trump administration has “a great record” when it comes to the LGBTQ community; GLAAD counts at least 153 attacks by administration to roll back LGBTQ rights
NEW YORK (July 13, 2020) – GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, [has responded] to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s many false claims made today
see GLAAD page 6
2 Seattle Gay News
July 17, 2020
Celebrating 46 Years!
Seattle Gay News
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
OBITUARY
FOUNDED 1974 MEMBER
2018
1707 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 324-4297 sgn2@sgn.org sgn.org
IN MEMORIAM Robert John Parker
Deadlines Classifieds | Thursday at Noon Calendar | Tuesday at 6pm Display Ads Space Reservation | Monday at 5pm Ad Copy (non-camera ready) | Tuesday at 5pm Ad Copy (camera-ready) | Wednesday at 5pm
June 15, 1955 May 2, 2020
Letters to the Editor | Tuesday at 5pm Obituaries | Call the SGN office All others | Tuesday at 5pm
Editor in Chief George Bakan
Robert John Parker
Copy Editor
Neah Bay resident Robert John Parker (aka “Greta”) who frequented the Crescent Tavern passed away at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles on May 2, 2020. He
was from the Makah Tribe. He did not want a memorial service. He was 64. Arrangements by Drennan and Ford Funeral Home, Port Angeles.
Rick McKinnon (since Dec 2013) Advertising Maggie Bloodstone National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Staff Writers Mike Andrew • Sara Michelle Fetters Miryam Gordon Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen • Ron Anders Madelyn Arnold • Alice Bloch Maggie Bloodstone • Beau Burriola Sharon Cumberland • Jessica Davis Tina Gianoulis • Anthony Greer Milton W. Hamlin • Nevin Jefferson Richard Kennedy • Shaun Knittel Liz Meyer • Jason A. Miller Jesse Monteagudo David Nguyen aka Teriyaki Temple Rod Parke • Don Paulson Jerry Peerson • Tim Peter • Jessica Price Renee Raketty • Scott Rice Albert Rodriguez • Leslie Robinson MK Scott • Mark Segal • Gaysha Starr Sarah Toce • Paul Torres • Janice Van Cleve Ed Walsh • James Whitely Scott Wittet • Rex Wockner Cartoonist Ken Campbell Calendar Editor Rick McKinnon Classifieds Rick McKinnon Photographers Nate Gowdy • Joseph P. Herron MK Scott • James Whitely Production Mike Pham Website Designer Barry Thorsness / Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2020. Frogs and Ink, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reprints by permission. Publication of names, photographs, or likeness 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.
RESOURCES for LGBTQ+ youth
Online communities, paired with mental health and counseling resources, are just a click away With quarantine safety measures in place across the country, LGBTQ+ youth are at an even greater risk of social isolation and depression. Online resources have become increasingly more important for LGBTQ+ youth to maintain their mental and emotional health during and after this period. We have compiled a list of resources that highlight available outlets online – www.isp.com/blog/lgbtq-youthonline-resources/
LGBTQ+ Youth Are Not Alone by Vanessa Jerusalimiec Internet Service Providers LGBTQ+ youth often face discrimination at school or in their communities. During their critical adolescent years, they feel isolated and misunderstood, lacking the resources they need to maintain their mental health. With pandemic-related social distancing measures in place across the country, LGBTQ+ youth are at an even greater risk of social isolation and depression. But online resources, including supportive and educational materials, can help youth maintain their mental and emotional health. The internet makes this easy, and LGBTQ+ youth can access online resources with just a couple of clicks. Having online access to counseling, education and a community helps youth cope with depression and can prevent suicide.
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 ad. Credit 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
Visit us online www.sgn.org
Photo courtesy of The Gender Spectrum Collection
Challenges facing LGBTQ+ youth LGBTQ+ youth face some unique challenges that impact their mental health. As they begin to understand their identity and come out to family and friends, they may encounter discrimination and bullying at school or within their community. On average, LGBTQ+ youth have higher rates of depression and suicide than their peers. A behavioral health report on youth.gov noted that suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth and young adults, and up to 33% of LGBTQ+ youth report having attempted suicide. LGBTQ+ high school students are also two to seven times more likely to commit suicide than their hetero-identifying peers. It’s important to remember that identifying as LGBTQ+ doesn’t cause depression or mental health challenges. The cause is rooted within outside factors: Youth who identify as LGBTQ+ encounter discrimination, family rejection, negative biases, bullying and hostile micro-aggressions that can lead to suicide ideation, according to the report. When LGBTQ+ youth aren’t accepted for who they are, they have higher rates of stress, anxiety, depression, self-harm behaviors and other disturbances to mental health. Transgender individuals have higher rates of depression and suicide than the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. Between 30 to 50% of transgender youth report attempting suicide at least once. They encounter even higher rates of discrimination and micro-aggressions, and more barriers when accessing mental health care. During adolescence, teenagers go through a critical period of development
as they build a strong sense of self, develop intellectual and emotional maturity, and start to understand their sexual orientation and preferences. LGBTQ+ youth experience additional challenges during their teens. Along with all the pressures of growing into their own identities, they have increased risks of alcohol and drug use, bullying, peer pressure, depression, suicide attempts and highrisk sexual activities. LGBTQ+ youth and young adults may be kicked out of their homes, and LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely than non-LGBTQ youth to be homeless during their adolescence. In addition, many LGBTQ+ youth are confronted with online bullying. Teenagers spend almost two hours per day with media, including watching TV, listening to music, texting and video chatting. It’s a great way to connect with peers, but it comes with added risks. Cyberbullying has made the internet a dangerous place for LGBTQ+ youth, and approximately 48.7% of LGBTQ+ students are victims of cyberbullying each year. This can be through private text messages or public posts on social media. Cyberbullying leads to high rates of psychological and emotional distress for LGBTQ+ youth, as well as low self-esteem, social isolation, depression and thoughts of suicide. With all these risks for LGBTQ+ youth, Gianna DiGiovanni, Crisis Services Manager of Continuous Improvement at The Trevor Project, emphasizes the importance of having 24 hour access to resources. “LGBTQ young people deserve affirm-
July 17, 2020
Seattle Gay News 3
see LGBTQ YOUTH page 7
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
we must remember that we are still in the middle of an unprecedented global public health crisis. Over the past few weeks, King County and Seattle have seen a skyrocketing number of COVID-19 cases, led primarily by cases among younger adults. We must all recommit to the recommendations issued by King County Public Health and the Washington Department of Health to help slow down this virus and limit its spread among our most vulnerable communities. That means wearing face coverings when out in public, continuing to avoid close contact and crowded settings, and continuing to stay at home if you have underlying health conditions or are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Our testing sites are now testing thousands of individuals each day, and have tested nearly 40,000 people since opening in June. Testing at these City of Seattle sites is free, so if you are concerned that you might have COVID-19, or are experiencing symptoms, please visit www.seattle. gov/mayor/covid-19/covid-19-testing to get tested. Without a vaccine, our behavior and testing are the most important factors to limiting COVID spread and moving into new phases of the governor’s reopening strategy. As the weather gets nicer, please don’t forget that wearing a cloth face covering is part of our new normal. It’s up to all of us to protect the health and safety of our communities. In addition to a Local Health Officer Directive, Gov. Inslee has now also issued a statewide requirement for face coverings in public spaces.
DURKAN DIGEST continued from cover
transform and make significant changes to the police department as part of the 2021 budget that I will propose in September. We both recognize that we have a [historic] opportunity and an obligation to reimagine how policing can be done in Seattle. The Chief and I had long recognized the need for alternative responses to policing. Its why we created alternative programs like Health One, which sends a social worker and firefighter to nonemergency 9-1-1 calls instead of an armed officer. We have relaunched the Community Service Officer program, adding 20 civilian officers to work with community things like youth safety and nonemergency calls. We also added mental health professionals to support the SPD’s Crisis Response Unit and dedicated nurses at our largest homeless shelters that have the highest 9-1-1 call volumes. Chief Best and I are committed to this transformation, and today we shared our approach for how we can make substantive cuts to the SPD’s budget without having an impact on public safety. We have heard calls to defund the SPD, and we want to acknowledge them. But a blunt and arbitrary cut – without an alternate plan – has the potential to decimate our city’s ability to respond to emergencies and leave communities with no other alternative. In the last few days, seven out of nine city councilmembers committed to defunding SPD by 50% in 2020. This is simply not responsible. You cannot govern by Twitter or bumper sticker. A new approach to community safety requires deep community engagement, thoughtful analysis, and a plan. So here is what Chief Best and I are proposing: As a first step, in the 2021 budget we will be moving some SPD civilian functions out of the department. We will assess if the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the 9-1-1 call center should remain as standalone departments, be located in other departments, or be combined with a future organization focused on public health and harm-reduction responses. These transfers will result in a $55.7 million reduction to the SPD budget in 2021: • The Seattle Police Department 9-1-1 Call Center, which is already staffed primarily by civilians, will be transferred out of the department. The Call Center currently takes 9-1-1 calls for both the SPD and the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) and is composed of 140 civilian employees and 12 sworn officers; • The civilian parking enforcement division will be transferred out of SPD and moved into the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT); • The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) – which prepares for, responds to, and staffs the city’s Emergency Operations Center when a major event occurs – will be transferred out of the police department; and, • The Office of Police Accountability (OPA) will be transferred out of the SPD. The OPA was already an independent office, but its budget was housed in the SPD. After an initial analysis over the last three weeks, the Chief and I are proposing $20.5 million in cuts from the 2021 SPD budget. This is primarily through not expanding sworn officers in the force next year and freezing civilian staff vacancies. The Chief will ensure appropriate staff levels to keep a 24/7 response across all precincts and shifts. Next, Chief Best and I have also started a data-driven analysis to drive more change – both in my upcoming budget proposal and into next year. Not only are we evaluating every current role at the SPD, but as we evaluate what specific functions that a sworn officer or civilian at the SPD may no longer do, we also have to ensure we’re
4 Seattle Gay News
Image courtesy of the Seattle Office of the Mayor
building the community response for the needs that to be addressed. We may need to expand current government programs like Health One or the SPD’s civilian Community Service Officers. Or we may need to create or expand community-based organizations and public health responses. In the coming weeks and months, Chief Best and I are evaluating: • Functions of current work at the SPD shifted to a public health or harm-reduction models; • All specialized functions at the SPD to determine what should be civilianized, transferred out of the SPD, maintained, right-sized, or eliminated; • 800,000 calls from the community to 9-1-1 and dispatches to 400,000 unique events to determine if new emergency responses are necessary; • Appropriate staffing models to provide sufficient 24/7 services across the city; • Booking and arrests data to determine if citations are more appropriate response; • Transitioning low-priority calls to online reporting; • Expected 2021 retirements and attrition to better determine staffing models; • The SPD’s response to other agencies, including King County Metro and Seattle Public Schools, unless there is a scene of violence, a serious assault, or a substantial theft or property destruction; • Optimization of the SPD’s fleet, facilities, and information technology projects to be consistent with the new approach to public safety; and • Current overtime practices, including necessary staffing throughout the year required to maintain public safety and the presence of the SPD at reimbursable special events and sporting events. All of these potential areas for transformation are deeply complex, and we must approach each problem to ensure we make actual, lasting change. I believe budget follows values and form. Once you have developed that new model of policing, and a new model for other health based solutions – then you build the budget.
July 17, 2020
You can watch the full press conference on Seattle Channel. As always, please continue to write me at Jenny.Durkan@seattle. gov, reach out via Twitter and Facebook, and stay up-to-date on the work we’re doing for the people of Seattle on my blog. Stay safe and healthy! As COVID-19 cases rise in King County, please stay on alert For the past several months, our region has been facing several crises unlike anything we have ever seen before. As our city works to respond to continued calls to reimagine policing and public safety, dismantle institutional racism, and invest in true community health and opportunity,
RECALL
continued from cover by Seattle police during the weeks of demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In their recall petition, her opponents charge that the mayor “endangered the peace and safety of the community” during the protests, including her imposition of a curfew, a “failure to institute new policies and safety measures for the Seattle Police Department when using crowd control measures during a public health emergency,” and other actions. In Durkan’s defense, her July 15 filing says that the Seattle city charter gives the chief of police, not the mayor, command authority over police officers. The mayor could exercise discretionary power to take direct control over the police department, Durkan’s lawyers argue, but just because she did not, it doesn’t constitute an offense sufficient for recall. In any case, the mayor’s lawyers claim, in the recent Black Lives Matter suit that led to an injunction against police use of tear gas for crowd control, the judge still gave the chief of police discretion to use it in “exigent circumstances.” The mayor’s lawyers attached a letter
Mayor announces six-year Seattle Transportation Benefit District proposal to aid in equitable COVID-19 recovery Mayor Durkan today transmitted legislation for a Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD) proposal to generate between $20 and $30 million annually for transit over the next six years. If approved by the City Council, the STBD would go before Seattle voters this November, and would support access to frequent and reliable transit service after current funding sources expire at the end of 2020. The STBD proposal ensures that the critical elements and bus routes of Seattle’s transit network are maintained [and] equitable access to transit continues to be prioritized, and allows the City to scale up service as Seattle’s transit ridership recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Courtesy of Mayor Jenny A. Durkan from Assistant US Attorney Christina Fogg to their filing. In it, Fogg – who has represented the federal government in ongoing implementation of the consent decree governing Seattle police – says that changes to police use-of-force and crowd control policies must be approved by a federal court before they can be rolled out. This would suggest that Durkan was legally prohibited from changing police crowd-control policy even if she wanted to. The recall petitioners will have until July 17 to respond to the mayor’s latest filing. If the judge declines Durkan’s request to reconsider, they will then have 180 days to gather signatures on the recall petition. The city charter requires verified paper signatures totaling 25% of votes cast in the last mayoral election. Just under 225,000 ballots were case in the 2017 election between Durkan and challenger Cary Moon. That means the recall petition will need to collect over 56,000 signatures. If enough signatures are collected within that 180-day window – and the City Clerk’s office and King County Elections can verify them – King County Elections will set a date for a special election between 45 and 90 days after certification, preferably on an already-scheduled election day.
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
Photo courtesy of Seattle University
FINLEY
continued from cover Before the sports world came to a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic, longtime women’s college volleyball coach James Finley had already pegged 2020 as a chance to step back and take stock. Finley announced his retirement from coaching in December 2019, ending a 21-year career, 19 of which he spent as head coach at Arizona Western College, Virginia Commonwealth University and Seattle University.
connected were past relationships with coaches and former players,” Finley said. “I told somebody if I get to touch a volleyball in the gym, I’m gonna hurt myself because I’m going to be so excited that I’m gonna do something stupid.” That pandemic-induced break from the gym provided the perfect opportunity to look back at the trail Finley blazed through the NCAA coaching ranks. Finley wasn’t out publicly until arriving at VCU in 2005, but not because he wasn’t fully ready prior to that. He was set to live his truth when he accepted his first head coaching job at AWC in 2001,
most freeing experience of his career. “Our joke is that it took a Jesuit school to accept the gay Jewish boy,” Finley said. But it also provided a vantage point for Finley to identify why LGBTQ acceptance within college athletics rose to the heights celebrated today. “The thing that I’ve seen the most over the last ten years particularly has to do with student-athlete activism and allies. The generation that’s been coming up, they’re just so much more open,” Finley said. “You have a generation coming up who is more willing to be out and doesn’t really care what other people think as much, even though it’s hard. There was more acceptance at home. You have all of these organizations, allies and equity departments on campuses that were really developing and creating a safe zone … it’s just cool. A lot of people don’t say anything or do anything because it’s just like it’s no big deal. This is who I am.”
see positives in the stances taken by the NCAA at times. Especially when it comes to recent developments in Idaho following the passing of discriminatory legislation against trans female athletes earlier this year. One of Finley’s former players is trans, and the experience of supporting him and facilitating conversations about identity with his family pushed Finley’s own understanding of other communities under the LGBTQ banner. “I’m so thankful that I was in a place that I could be there for him as opposed to, maybe a year earlier, I would have just stuttered and not known what to say or do,” Finley said. “Everybody has journeys and transitions. That’s one thing I told my student-athletes and everybody else: you have to give people time to change or process.” Observations like that are a key reason why Finley holds so much hope for LGBTQ communities within sports moving forward
Photo courtesy of Seattle University
Stepping away from the sideline gave Finley a chance to reflect on his experiences navigating the college sports landscape as an out gay man and take a much deserved breather from a job that easily consumes daily life. “It’s been pretty amazing just to be home,” Finley told Outsports. “Because of my career and what I’ve done, everybody just assumes I’m an extrovert. I’m really not. I love being around people, but my peace and quiet is being by myself.” The decision to end his 7-year tenure at SU might’ve surprised some in volleyball circles, but it was a carefully made decision for Finley. He first began thinking about retirement two years ago and used that time to set himself up for post-coaching life. He started a Masters degree program in management and leadership in 2019, focused on building up his annual volleyball camp partnership with Nike and aided SU in searching for his replacement. Despite all that prep work, Finley still felt strange when classes resumed in January. “It was bizarre,” he said. Finley supplemented any odd feelings by staying in contact with his former players and reconnecting with friends, but Covid shutdowns put those interactions, along with his planned camps, on the bench. “The only thing that kind of kept me
but that hit a snag on his first day over a late night Diet Coke with his new boss. “We’re sitting in his office and we’re just talking and everything about life and I asked him ‘Did you prefer to hire a female instead of a male coach?’ He said, ‘Well, it was down to you and one lady, but she was a lesbian and I hate that shit,’” Finley recalled. “I almost died right there in my chair. Again, I’m in an environment where I’m going to have to not be myself.” Finley found acceptance from other coworkers during his time at AWC, a pattern that continued after coming out and building a successful women’s volleyball program at VCU. But that familiarity returned in 2012 when newly hired athletic director Ed McLaughlin fired Finley after leading his team to a 25-6 record in its first season in the Atlantic 10 conference. Finley has continually asserted that his firing was rooted in homophobic discrimination. “It was more of a shock to just be completely put off to the side and not spoken to… it was the worst I’ve ever been treated in my life,” Finley said. “I thought, ‘Nah, doesn’t matter. We’re going to get through the season. We’re having a great year.’ But it didn’t matter. It was quite bizarre.” That frustrating exit ultimately led to a seven-year run at SU that Finley sees as the
Visit us online www.sgn.org
Photo courtesy of Nike
A similar optimism now drapes over the circumstances around Finley’s exit from VCU as well after the Supreme Court’s ruling on sexuality-based workplace discrimination in June. “That’s going to really open the door for us to finally have equal rights and a lot of different avenues not just workplace discrimination, but housing and healthcare.” But those gains don’t signal the end of the path to acceptance. While Finley has noticed more coaches and student-athletes becoming more vocal and coming out over the last decade, there is still a severe lack of LGBTQ educational and cultural resources provided by the NCAA. “They should be doing more… [In Seattle], we’re in a very liberal place. You go to a lot of conservative places and it’s not the same,” Finley said. “You get pushback and people are more timid to help or to do things because they’re worried about their own career. Even as a straight coach, am I going to get in trouble? Are people going to want me to be gone because I’m standing up for this?” The critiques are valid, but Finley does
as he enters retirement. “I hope that they continue to grow, stand up and normalize who they are. I just want us to get to a place where no one feels isolated, alone or ashamed of who they are because they want to fit into their team or they want to be accepted by their coach,” Finley said. “I’m so thankful that a lot of student athletes are in that situation, but I’m still really sad for those who don’t get to experience that and many of those I know still end up quitting. There are a lot of kids that don’t play college sports that should simply because, you know, they feel like they can’t have a normal life.” For now, though, Finley seems ready to enjoy post-coaching life alongside that continued advocacy. “I don’t miss working every weekend, being away from home and having seasonal relationships where I have to renew all my friendships in January… my husband always says, ‘Hey, this is my boyfriend, he really exists. He doesn’t live in Canada.’”
July 17, 2020
Seattle Gay News 5
Reprinted with permission by Outsports and its parent company, Vox Media
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
Cops endorse Trump by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) has endorsed Donald Trump for President. In a July 15 statement, the group – an umbrella organization for police unions and benefits associations – praised Trump’s “steadfast and very public support” for police officers. NAPO President Michael McHale said Trump’s support is needed “during this time of unfair and inaccurate opprobrium being directed at our members by so many.” “We particularly value your directing the attorney general to aggressively prosecute those who attack our officers,” McHale wrote in a letter. NAPO met with Trump on July 13, ahead of the endorsement vote. At that meeting, he made it clear that he backs the very police tactics that have come under fire since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers.
Photo by Evan Vucci / AP
“Our officers have been under vicious assault,” Trump said. “Reckless politicians have defamed our heroes as the enemy…
HRC on McEnany and Trump’s LGBTQ record WASHINGTON, DC (July 14, 2020) – In response to today’s exchange during the White House briefing where Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany spoke about President Trump’s record on LGBTQ issues, Lucas Acosta, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, issued the following statement: “Kayleigh McEnany is living in a delusion. We’re more than happy to continue showing Americans the true records of Joe Biden and Donald Trump on LGBTQ issues. From day one of this administration, Donald Trump and Mike Pence have ruthlessly attacked the rights and livelihoods of LGBTQ people. “They have issued rules sanctioning discrimination against LGBTQ people,
particularly transgender people, in healthcare programs and activities. They have ignored anti-LGBTQ atrocities in Chechnya and anti-trans violence here at home. They have banned trans people from serving in the military and turned away trans children with civil rights complaints from the Department of Education. They have endorsed allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people solely because of who they are or who they love. They are denying trans people equal access to emergency shelters, needlessly and cruelly putting one of the most vulnerable groups in the country in greater danger.” Courtesy of the HRC
Jeff Sessions, loser by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, running to take back the Senate seat he gave up to join the Trump Administration, has been defeated in Alabama’s Republican primary. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the Republican candidate will be an even bigger pro-Trump toady – former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville. Sessions lost by a humiliating margin, winning only 39% of the votes. Tuberville will go on the run against the Democratic incumbent, Doug Jones, in November. Sessions, who held the Senate seat from 1997 until 2017, resigned to become Donald Trump’s first attorney general. Jones won the special election to fill the vacant Senate seat by beating Republican child molester and anti-LGBT crusader Roy Moore. As attorney general, Sessions for the most part did Trump’s bidding, rolling back civil rights and voting rights protections, and notoriously reversing the Obama-era guidelines protecting LGBT people in employment and health care. Sessions fell out of favor with his boss when he recused himself from overseeing the Mueller investigation into possible col-
6 Seattle Gay News
lusion between the Trump election campaign and Russian agents. As the Russia controversy developed, Trump became more and more hostile to Sessions, openly calling him incompetent. Sessions resigned on November 7, 2018, the day after Democrats won back control of the US House, setting the stage for impeachment proceedings against Trump. Always one to hold a grudge, Trump backed Tuberville in the Republican primary. “Tommy was a terrific head football coach at Auburn University. He is a REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG, or our Country, down!” Trump tweeted (KAG being “Keep America Great,” Trump’s 2020 reelection slogan). On a pretaped robocall to Alabama voters, Trump said of Tuberville, “He’s going to have a cold, direct line into my office. That I can tell you.” Jones, the Democratic incumbent, faces a tough reelection campaign. Alabama voted for Trump in 2016 by more than 30 points, and Jones won the seat only because his Republican opponent, Roy Moore, was completely discredited, even in the eyes of many Republican voters. He is considered the most at-risk among all Democratic incumbents.
July 17, 2020
These radical politicians want to defund and abolish the police.” “My administration is pro-safety, propolice, and anti-crime,” he added. Biden, on the other hand, has voiced criticism of police tactics, although much milder criticism than activists calling for defunding of police. In a Now This interview with Ady Barkan, Biden said police forces don’t need surplus military equipment, much of it supplied by the federal government. This military-style equipment leads police to “become the enemy” in communities of color, Biden suggested. Biden campaign Rapid Response Director Andrew Bates said last month that the former vice president supports “the urgent need for [police] reform,” which he said
includes “funding for public schools, summer programs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment separate from funding for policing – so that officers can focus on the job of policing.” The Biden campaign has developed a criminal justice plan, including an additional $300 million for community policing. Bates said that the funding would “improve relationships between officers and residents” and would “provide the training that is needed to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths.” NAPO did not endorse a candidate in the 2016 election but endorsed former President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden in both the 2008 and 2012 elections.
GLAAD
Trump has openly supported authoritarians who want to abolish all LGBTQ rights, including Polish President Duda, who campaigned and governed to make Poland the worst nation in the EU on LGBTQ rights. Duda just won a second term. During a pandemic in which more than 132,000 Americans have died on President Trump’s watch, and as health officials have pleaded for more blood donations, especially from COVID-19 survivors, the Trump administration is still discriminating against gay and bi men from donating blood. Easing the deferral period from one year to three months is still a practice based in fear and bias, not science. The Trump administration has cut funding for HIV/AIDS programs. Last month, Trump falsely claimed there is an AIDS vaccine. There is no AIDS vaccine. The Trump administration has systematically deployed multiple agencies to erase LGBTQ rights in health care, housing, [and] education; [furthered] religious exemptions that specifically target LGBTQ people; and continues to lobby against LGBTQ foster families, taking even more cases of discrimination to the US Supreme Court. The Trump administration announced a rollback to transgender Americans’ right to health care, four years to the day of the Pulse massacre that killed 49 people, most of whom were LGBTQ.
continued from cover during the White House press briefing, the most egregious being that the administration has “a great record” with the LGBTQ community. During the briefing, Washington Blade reporter Chris Johnson asked McEnany if President Trump would lift the ban he enacted to bar transgender people from serving in the armed forces. McEnany responded: “I haven’t talked to him about that specific policy, but this president is proud that in 2019 we launched a global initiative to end the criminalization of homosexuality throughout the world. He has a great record when it comes to the LGBT community. The Trump administration eased a ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, and he launched a plan to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, so we’re very proud of our achievements.” GLAAD responded via Twitter: “Attn @PressSec, President Trump does not have a ‘great record’ on LGBTQ acceptance. He has an abysmal record and GLAAD keeps track - 153 attacks and counting.” The attacks are detailed on GLAAD’s Trump Accountability Project [www.glaad. org/tap/donald-trump]. Here are some necessary corrections to McEnany’s statements today about the Trump administration’s clear anti-LGBTQ record: It’s been almost a month since the Supreme Court ruled it illegal to fire people because they are LGBTQ. President Trump’s Justice Department fought on the wrong side of history to defend employers who discriminate. Trump has done nothing to reverse his discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military, and his press secretary today said she hasn’t even talked to him about it. The weak effort to decriminalize gay sex worldwide went nowhere. Instead, President
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, visit www. glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter. Courtesy of GLAAD
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG LGBTQ YOUTH continued from page 3
ing and safe spaces to explore who they are, ask questions and connect. Many LGBTQ young people may have limited access to support at home, at school, in their faith communities and among friends. Reaching out for help takes courage regardless of circumstance, but for some LGBTQ young people doing so may compromise their safety or relationships. No young person should have to struggle with depression or thoughts of suicide alone. That is why we are here to provide non-judgmental, confidential and LGBTQ affirming support 24/7.” Being able to access help for depression or suicide ideation at any time of day or night is vital for LGBTQ+ youth and for their mental health. Many valuable resources can be found online, and the internet is a helpful tool in finding help. There are many cheap internet service providers who can help youth access mental health services and resources wherever they are. Online resources for LGBTQ+ youth Download here [https://www.isp.com/ wp-content/uploads/2020/06/mar-_30_online-resources-for-lgbtq_-youth-andmental-health-isp.com-1590153509.pdf] some of the most helpful online resources shown below for LGBTQ+ youth, including counseling services, educational resources and online communities. Talk Space [https://www.talkspace. com/online-therapy/lgbtq/] – This platform features thousands of licensed therapists who will provide guidance and support, and you can contact your therapist using a laptop or smartphone. The conversation will be synced across devices, so you can access help wherever you are. On Talk Space, messages can be sent 24 hours a day, and the therapist will respond one or two times per day. Pride Counseling [https://www.pridecounseling.com/] – Focused on providing counseling for the LGBTQ+ community, Pride Counseling will match youth with a licensed therapist. They provide support for identity and mental health issues in a safe space. It’s possible to message a counselor 24 hours a day, as well as schedule counseling sessions. Better Help [https://www.betterhelp. com/] – Better Help has a large network of licensed counselors, and you can reach a counselor through messaging, chat, phone or video. For LTGBQ+ youth seeking online counseling, Better Help has affordable and convenient counseling services. Amwell [https://business.amwell.com/] – Providing LGBTQ counseling, Amwell offers face-to-face online therapy either on your computer or using a mobile app. Most sessions last around 45 minutes and must be scheduled in advance. Educational resources It’s important for LGBTQ+ youth to understand that they’re not alone. Educational resources can provide more information on discrimination and bullying, how to effectively deal with this harassment, and where to find help. The Trevor Project [https://www. thetrevorproject.org/] – Offering a wealth of information to LGBTQ+ youth and allies, the Trevor Support Center answers frequently asked questions on topics such as gender identity and sexual orientation. You’ll also find the coming out handbook and resources for trans youth. The Gay Straight Alliance [https:// gsanetwork.org/] – From training youth leaders, supporting LGBTQ+ youth organizers, and supporting LGBTQ+ youth development, the Gay Straight Alliance Network unites teenagers across the country. It Gets Better Project [https://itgetsbetter.org/] – For inspiring stories from LGBTQ+ youth, the It Gets Better Project provides uplifting video stories created by LGBTQ+ youth around the world.
Photo courtesy of The Gender Spectrum Collection
A sense of community Connecting with a community helps LGBTQ+ young adults feel a sense of belonging. Communities provide additional resources, encourage youth to share their stories, and have platforms where youth make friends with people who can understand their journey. Trevor Space [https://www.trevorspace.org/] – This international community is the world’s largest social networking site for LGBTQ+ youth. On Trevor Space you can create a custom profile, join a discussion forum and connect with people who are going through similar experiences. Gender Spectrum [https://www.genderspectrum.org/] – This is an inclusive space for all LGBTQ+ youth. From resources and online consulting to online groups for teens and family members, they provide a community rooted in understanding and inclusion. Empty Closets [http://emptyclosets. com/] – This online community offers a forum where you can join a chat, start a discussion, and find additional resources. Empty Closets will provide support to youth as they explore their sexual orientation. AVEN [https://www.asexuality.org/] – The AVEN community promotes thoughtful and honest conversations about asexuality, and welcomes members who identity as sexual or asexual. AVEN allows you to connect with other youth through forums. FIND A COMMUNITY NEAR YOU LGBTQ+ Community Resources Alabama – GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services; 256-425-7804; PO Box 3443, Huntsville, AL, 35810; http://www.glbtays. org/ Alaska – Identity, INC; 907-929-4528; 336 East 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK, 99501; http://www.identityinc.org/ Arizona – One-n-Ten; 602-475-7456; 1101 N Central Avenue #202, Phoenix, AZ 85004; https://onenten.org/ Arkansas – NWA Center For Equality; 479-966-9014; 179 N. Church Avenue Suite 101, Fayetteville, AR 72701; http://www.nwacenterforequality.org/ California – The Pacific Center; 510-5488283; 2712 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705; http://www.pacificcenter.org/ California – Stonewall Alliance Center; 530-893-3336; 358 East 6th Street, Chico, CA 95927; http://www.stonewallchico.org/ California – The Rainbow Community Center; 925-692-0090; 2118 Willow Pass Road Suite 500, Concord, California 94520; https://www.rainbowcc.org/ Colorado – The GLBT Community Center of Colorado; 303-831-0442; PO Box 9798, Denver, CO 80209; http://www.glbtcolorado.org/ Connecticut – Outspoken; 203-227-1755; 19 River Street, Norwalk, CT 06850; http:// www.ctoutspoken.com/ Connecticut – True Colors; 860-2320050; 576 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105; http://www.ourtruecolors.org/ Delaware – J.U.S.T. For Youth; 302547-6629; 1308 Delaware Avenue, Suite 10, Wilmington, DE 19806; http://www.justfory-
Visit us online www.sgn.org
outhde.org/ Florida – The Pride Center; 954-4639005; 2040 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors, FL 33305; http://www.glccsf.org/ Florida – Orlando Youth Alliance; 407244-1222; PO Box 536944, Orlando, FL 32853; http://www.orlandoyouthalliance.org/ Florida – Sunshine Social Services; 954548-4602; 1480 SW 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315; http://www.sunserve.org/ Georgia – The Rainbow Program; 404457-1721 3111; Clairmont Road, Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30329; http://www.chriskids. org/ Georgia – YouthPride; 404-521-9713; 1017 Edgewood Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307; http://www.youthpride.org/ Georgia – Fierce Youth Reclaiming and Empowering; 404-532-0022; PO Box 8551, Atlanta, GA 31106; http://www.fyrerj.org/ Hawaii – Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation; 808-369-2000; PO Box 23300, Honolulu, HI, 96822; https://hawaiilgbtlegacyfoundation.com/ Idaho – Boise GLBT Community Center; 208-841-3220; 305 Adams Street, Garden City, ID 83714; http://www.yadiversity.org/ Illinois – Horizon Community Services; 773-472-6469; 961 W. Montana Street, Chicago, IL 60614; http://www.horizonsonline. org/ Illinois – Broadway Youth Center; 773388-1600; 4025 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60613; http://www.howardbrown. org/ Indiana – Indiana Youth Group; 317-5418726; 2943 E. 46th Street; Indianapolis, IN 46205; http://www.indianayouthgroup.org/ Iowa – Ozone House; 734-662-2265; 1705 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104; http://www.ozonehouse.org/ Iowa – Iowa Pride Network; 515-4718063; 777 Third Street, Suite 312, Des Moines, IA 50309; http://www.iowapridenetwork.org/ Kansas – Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity; 785-330-2391; Kansas Union, Room 400, Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045; https://sgd.ku.edu/ Kentucky – Louisville Youth Group; 502-499-4427; PO Box 406764, Louisville, KY 40204; http://www.louisvilleyouthgroup. com/ Louisiana – LGBT Community Center of New Orleans; 504-945-1103; 2114 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA 70116; http://www. lgbtccno.org/ Louisiana – Brotherhood, Inc.; 504-5667955; 4032 Canal Street, Suite C1-A, New Orleans, LA 70119; http://www.brotherhoodinc.org/ Maine – Prysm; 207-761-3732; 511 Congress Street, Suite 107, Equality Community Center, Portland, ME 04101; https://equalitymaine.org/ Maryland – The Pride Center of Maryland; 410-777-8145; 2530 North Charles St, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21218; http://www. pridecentermd.org/ Michigan – Ozone House; 734-485-2222; 102 N. Hamilton, Ypsilanti, MI 48197; https:// ozonehouse.org/ Michigan – Trans Youth Family Allies; 888-462-8932; PO Box 1471, Holland, MI
July 17, 2020
49422; http://www.imatyfa.org/ Michigan – The Ann Arbor Teen Center; 734-214-9995; 310 E. Washington Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104; http://www. neutral-zone.org/ Minnesota – YouthLink; 612-252-1200; 41 N. 12th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403; https://www.youthlinkmn.org/ Mississippi – Mississippi Rainbow Center ; 601-336-0162; P.O. Box 66, Biloxi, MS 39533-0066; https://www.msrainbowcenter.org/ Missouri – The Glo Center; 417-8693978; 518 East Commercial Street, Springfield, MO 65803; https://www.glocenter.org/ Montana – Empowerment; 406-5416891; 2300 Regent St, Suite 101, Missoula, MT 59801; https://www.empowermt.org/ youth-and-schools/lgbtq-youth/ Nebraska – Out Nebraska; 402-4881130 211 North 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508; https://outnebraska.org/ Nevada – The Center; 702-733-9800; 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89101; https://thecenterlv.org/about/contact-us Nevada – Northern Nevada HOPES; 775-786-4673; 580 W 5th Street, Reno, NV 89503; https://www.nnhopes.org/patients/ services/lgbtq/ New Hampshire – Seacoast Outright; 603-552-5824; 25 Highland Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; https://www.seacoastoutright.org/ New Jersey – The Pride Center; 732-8462232; 85 Raritan Avenue, Suite 100, Highland Park NJ, 08904-2430; https://www.pridecenter.org/ New Jersey – The QSpot; 732-455-3373; 66 S. Main Street, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756; http://qspot.org/about/contact/ New Mexico – Identity, INC 505427-3383; 204 W Main St., Farmington, 87401, New Mexico, USA; http://identity-inc. org/ New Mexico – Transgender Resouce Center; 505-200-9086; 5600 Domingo Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108; https://tgrcnm. org/ New York – The Center; 212-620-7310; 208 W 13 St, New York, NY 10011; https:// gaycenter.org/ New York – The Ali Forney Center; 212222-3427; 224 West 35th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10001; https://www.aliforneycenter.org/ New York – The Loft; 914-948-2932; 252 Bryant Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605; http://www.loftgaycenter.org/ North Carolina – Time Out Youth; 704344-8335; 3800 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205; https://www.timeoutyouth.org/ North Carolina – North Star LGBTQ Community Center; 336-893-9053; 930 Burke Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101; http://www.northstarlgbtcc.com/ North Dakota – The Pride Center; 701777-3000; 3501 University Ave Stop 8357, Grand Forks, ND 58202-8357; https://und. edu/student-life/diversity/pride/ Ohio – Stonewall Columbus; 614-2997764; 1160 N High Street, Columbus, OH 43201; https://stonewallcolumbus.org/contact-us/ Ohio – LGBT Center of Cleveland; 216651-5428; 6705 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102; https://lgbtcleveland.org/ Oklahoma – Diversity Center of Oklahoma; 405-604-5217; 2242 NW 39th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73112; https://diversitycenterofoklahoma.org/wp/schedule/ Oklahoma – Oklahomans for Equality; 918-743-4297; 621 E. 4th Street, Tulsa, OK 74120; http://www.okeq.org/ Oregon – The Pride Center; 541-7379030; SEC 306, 2251 SW Jefferson Way, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; https://dce.oregonstate.edu/pc/ Oregon – The Living Room; 503-9015971; PO Box 332, Gladstone, OR 97027; https://www.thelivingroomyouth.org/ Oregon – SMYRC; 503-224-4339 17199 SE Division St., Portland OR 97236; http://www.smyrc.org/ Pennsylvania – Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center; 610-347-9988; 522 West Maple Street, Allentown, PA 18101; https://www.bradburysullivancenter.org/
see LGBTQ YOUTH page 9
Seattle Gay News 7
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
HRC breaks with Susan Collins, endorses opponent by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The HRC has broken with Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins for the first time in its history, endorsing her Democratic opponent, Sara Gideon. The endorsement was announced July 15, one day after Gideon won the Maine Democratic primary. “We are fighting for our lives, and the only way to advance LGBTQ equality through the United States Senate is to install a new pro-equality majority leader
and replace Mitch McConnell,” HRC President Alphonso David said in a statement. “Despite Susan Collins’ record of support on certain key LGBTQ issues, her support of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump’s agenda, endorsement of Brett M. Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court, and failure to hold Donald Trump accountable [are] simply untenable.” Collins is the sole Republican co-sponsor of the Equality Act, the bill to add LGBTQ protections to federal civil rights laws. The measure passed the US House but has been blocked from even a hearing by Republican
Majority Leader McConnell. Collins was also notorious for her handwringing over the confirmation of now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh when details of his history of sexual assault became public. Despite her public worrying about Kavanaugh’s suitability for the high court, Collins ultimately fell in line and voted to confirm him. Gideon is speaker of Maine’s House of Representatives. Polls show her with a twoto four-point lead over Collins. “Over the last few weeks, we’ve watched the Supreme Court decide cases that could
affect millions of Americans, and we remember that Sen. Collins has been a key part of Mitch McConnell’s effort to staff the federal bench with unqualified, far-right judges,” Gideon said in a primary night speech. “And as President Trump continues to divide our country, we remember all of the times when Sen. Collins enabled and excused his attacks on our democracy,” she added. “Sen. Collins has changed. And Mainers deserve better. Mainers deserve a senator who will bring people together to overcome the challenges we face and deliver real results.”
HRC, members, and supporters submit comments against Trump’s proposed rule that would effectively end asylum claims, disproportionately harm LGBTQ asylum seekers WASHINGTON, DC (July 14, 2020) – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, denounced a proposed rule by the Trump-Pence administration’s Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice that would sharply restrict how asylum is granted to people seeking refuge in the United States. “Asylum seekers are among the world’s most vulnerable people,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “This administration is once again turning its back on our country’s long-standing moral leadership as a beacon for those facing violence and oppres-
sion around the world. This regulation guts our asylum system, leaving asylum seekers, including those who are LGBTQ and those living with HIV, out in the cold. Asylum seekers and refugees must be welcome here. This rule must not go into effect.” The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice published the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on June 15 in the Federal Register. The public currently has 30 days from then to comment on the proposal. The rule overwhelmingly guts protections for asylum seekers and makes it virtually impossible for those fleeing persecution to find refuge at our shores.
As proposed, this regulation would make it easier for judges to reject claims from asylum seekers, including LGBTQ people. The HRC is submitting a comment to the proposed rule and has activated its three million members and supporters to submit comments as well. Since June 15, HRC members and supporters have weighed in to express their concerns against this proposed rule. As part of the campaign to activate HRC members and supporters, the HRC joined AsylumWorks, the first and only nonprofit exclusively dedicated to serving the estimated 50,000 asylum seekers living in the Washington, DC, region, to release a video
that spotlights the experience of LGBTQ asylum seekers. The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community. Courtesy of the HRC
LGBTQ elected officials increased by 21% in past year; new report shows 843 LGBTQ elected officials serve nationwide WASHINGTON, DC (July 16, 2020) – There are 843 known* openly LGBTQ elected officials in the United States – a 21% increase in the past year – according to LGBTQ Victory Institute’s Out for America 2020 digital report, which was released today. The increase is attributable to the growing number of LGBTQ people running for office, an increase in those willing to run openly, and incumbent elected officials who are coming out while in office. The report comes during an unprecedented election year for the LGBTQ community, with more than 880 openly LGBTQ people running for office in 2020 – the most ever. While the growth in LGBTQ elected officials was strong, LGBTQ people still hold just 0.17% of elected positions in the United States despite making up 4.5% of the US adult population. Americans must elect 22,544 more LGBTQ people to public office to achieve equitable representation in government. The report found that over the past year (from June 2019 to June 2020): • Bisexual representation increased by 53%, and the number of queer-identified elected officials increased by 71%; • Trans women elected officials grew by 40%, although there was no increase in representation for trans men; • LGBTQ elected officials of color
increased at a rate similar to LGBTQ elected officials overall; and • The number of openly LGBTQ mayors increased by 35%. • The report also found a 9% increase in LGBTQ state legislators over the past year – from 147 to 160 – despite just four states holding elections for their full state legislatures in 2019. “While the number of LGBTQ elected officials continues to increase at a steady pace, we still must elect 22,544 more LGBTQ people to public office before equitable representation is achieved,” said Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Institute. “The hateful legislation targeting our community in city councils and state legislatures, and at the federal level is a by-product of this gap in representation. Allied elected officials are critically important. But when LGBTQ elected officials are in the halls of power, they change the hearts and minds of their lawmaker colleagues, defeat anti-LGBTQ bills, and inspire more inclusive legislation. The numbers in this report show LGBTQ political power is growing rapidly. But it also demonstrates the daunting representation gap that we must close and is a call to action for all in our community to consider a run for office.” In addition to trends over the last year,
8 Seattle Gay News
July 17, 2020
the report also looks at trends since comprehensive data was first collected by the Victory Institute after the November 2017 elections. Between November 2017 and June 2020, there was an 88% increase in known openly LGBTQ elected officials. During that period, the number of known openly LGBTQ elected officials of color doubled (from 92 to 184), including a 126% increase in known openly LGBTQ Black elected officials (from 23 to 52). However, Latinx representation grew at a slower rate (71%, from 51 to 87) as did Asian/Pacific Islander representation (42%, from 12 to 17) when compared to LGBTQ elected officials overall. During that three-and-a-half-year time period, the number of known out trans elected officials more than quadrupled (from six to 26), but the number of cisgender women elected officials grew at a slower rate (77%, from 179 to 317) than LGBTQ elected officials overall. The number of known openly bisexual elected officials rose 550% (from 8 to 52). Pansexual elected officials rose from one to 11 and queer elected officials from two to 41. The Out for America report is an annual analysis of LGBTQ elected representation in government based on the Victory Institute’s LGBTQ elected officials database – the largest and most comprehensive listing
available. The interactive Out for America map, updated weekly, displays all known LGBTQ elected officials and is available at outforamerica.org. Read the full 2020 Out for America digital report at victoryinstitute.org/outforamerica. * The annual Out for America data reflects the openly LGBTQ elected officials known to the LGBTQ Victory Institute at that time. Given the nearly 520,000 elected positions in the country, there are certainly some openly LGBTQ elected officials Victory Institute is unaware of – especially in local positions in smaller localities. the Victory Institute conducts an annual census to uncover more openly LGBTQ elected officials, regularly monitors news reports and follows LGBTQ candidates to ensure its data is as accurate as possible. The Victory Institute holds the most comprehensive database of openly LGBTQ elected officials available. The Victory Institute works to increase the number of LGBTQ people in public office and provides programming, services, and other support to ensure their success. More at victoryinstitute.org. Courtesy of the LGBTQ Victory Institute
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
HRC Foundation announces first year of ACTIVATE Professional Development Program for Transgender & nonbinary Black, Latinx people WASHINGTON, DC (July 13, 2020) – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced the first year of ACTIVATE, a fellowship program that is aimed at advancing the professional development of trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming Black and Latinx people or people of color. Today the HRC Foundation also launched the second year of ELEVATE, a fellowship program designed to help advance the leadership skills of Black and Latinx transgender women. “I could not be more excited to create and lead the inaugural year of the ACTIVATE fellowship program,” said Tori Cooper, HRC director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. “The HRC’s deepening engagement with the transgender and nonbinary community, especially transgender people of color, is essential, and could not be more important than during this time when we are seeing our communities be especially impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis. In addition, this country is currently facing an epidemic
of violence against transgender and gendernonconforming people, especially Black transgender women. In the midst of this crisis, lifting up the voices of trans, gendernonconforming, and nonbinary people of color and helping them develop the tools to advance their powerful work has never been more critical.” “The HRC is proud to be beginning another year of the ELEVATE program and to be starting the first year of the ACTIVATE program,” said the HRC Foundation’s director of HIV and health qquity J. Maurice McCants-Pearsall. “Together, these programs provide critical training and build leadership skills for Latinx, Black, and other POC transgender and nonbinary people. These programs, especially ELEVATE, are centered on building skills around public health, a field that is especially important during the COVID19 health crisis. The programs will use lessons learned from the HIV epidemic to address the current challenges presented by COVID-19, with the goal of improving the health outcomes of trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people.” After fellows for each program are
selected, a virtual training will be held August 28-29, 2020. The fellowships for each program will last one year. First announced in 2019, when the HRC also announced an expansion of its work dedicated to justice for the transgender community, the inaugural year of the ACTIVATE fellowship builds on the work that was begun in 2019 with the ELEVATE program. ACTIVATE is a professional development program designed for POC transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people. The program seeks to provide an in-depth and comprehensive training curriculum that addresses the core skills needed to achieve and thrive in leadership roles in the LGBTQ nonprofit sector. The ELEVATE Fellowship advances the leadership of Black and Latinx transgender women in the South by effectively increasing their capacity to navigate and improve public health systems. This program, rooted in skills building and professional and leadership development, consists of one intensive digital training and three interactive webinars that lead to an increase in competencies and improving health outcomes among Black and Latinx transgen-
der women. While the first training for ELEVATE was held in-person at the HRC’s Washington, DC, headquarters in 2019, due to the current COVID-19 health crisis, the trainings for both ELEVATE and ACTIVATE will be held virtually this year. For a full list of HRC’s COVID-19 resources, please visit hrc.im/COVID19resources. For more information on ELEVATE: A Fellowship Advancing Public Health Leadership for Transgender Women of Color, please visit www.hrc.org/resources/elevate. For more information on ACTIVATE: Building the Capacity of Leaders on the Frontlines, please visit www.hrc.org/ resources/activate.
LGBTQ YOUTH
https://www.equalityvirginia.org/ Virginia – Shenandoah LGBTQ Center; 540-466-3320; 13 W. Beverley St., 5th Floor, Staunton, VA 24401; https://www.shenlgbtqcenter.org/ Washington – The Lambert House; 206322-2515; 818 15th Ave on Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA 98102; http://www.lamberthouse.org/ Washington – Gay City; 206-860-6969; 517 E. Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122; https:// www.gaycity.org/ West Virginia – Fairness West Virginia; 681-265-9062; 405 Capitol Street Suite 405, Charleston, WV 25301; http://fairnesswv.org/ Wisconsin – Outreach; 608-255-8582; 2701 International Lane Ste 101, Madison WI 53704; https://www.outreachmadisonlgbt. org/ Wisconsin – Milwaukee LGBT Community Center; 414-271-2656; 1110 North Market Street, Second Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53202; https://www.mkelgbt.org/ Wyoming – Wyoming Equality; 307-7787645; 1603 Capitol Ave Suite 405, Cheyenne, WY 82001; https://www.wyomingequality. org/
KnowBullying [https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=gov.hhs.samhsa.app. bullying&WT.ac=LP_20140722_KNOWBULLYING_GOOGLEPLAY] – Providing information about bullying, this app has online resources for parents and teens, and tips on how to safely use social media. ReThink [https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.rethink.app. rethinkkeyboard&hl=en] – This innovative app was designed to stop cyberbullying. The app will detect hurtful or offensive comments before they’re posted and prompt the writer to rethink the comment before posting.
Find and use online resources – Take the time to educate yourself about LGBTQ issues and the challenges your teenager may encounter. Kickstart your research by finding out if you’re an askable parent [https://advocatesforyouth.org/resources/health-information/are-you-an-askable-parent/], then learn more about the LGBTQ community. Share online help resources with your teenager – Gather a list of online resources that provide help and support to LGBTQ+ youth. Make sure your child can access online counseling, educational resources, mobile apps and an online community. They’ll feel supported as they explore their identity. Connect your child with role models – LGBTQ+ youth often struggle to find their place within the community. Help your teenager by connecting them with a role model in the community. Advocate for your child – If your teenager has been harassed, bullied, or discriminated against, become their strongest advocate. Meet with teachers and school administration to report and correct inappropriate and harmful behavior. Be their advocate among family members as well, and make sure your child is never harassed at home.
continued from page 7
Pennsylvania – William Way LGBT Community Center; 215-732-2220; 1315 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107; https:// www.waygay.org/ Rhode Island – Youth Pride; 401-2741990; 743 Westminster St., Providence, RI 02903; https://www.youthprideri.org/aboutyouth-pride-inc/ South Carolina – Harriet Hancock Center; 803-771-7713; 1108 Woodrow Street Columbia, SC 29205; http://harriethancockcenter. org/ South Carolina – Equal Means Everyone; 803-256-6500; Post Office Box 544, Columbia, SC 29202; http://www.equalmeanseveryone.org/ South Dakota – Black Hills Center For Equality; 605-219-6509; P.O. Box 1558, Rapid City, SD 57709; https://www.bhcfe.org/ contact-us/ Tennessee – Just Us | Oasis Center; 615983-6862; 1704 Charlotte Ave, Suite 200 Nashville, TN 37203; http://justusoasis.org/ about/ Tennessee – Out Memphis; 901-2786422; 892 S. Cooper Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38104-5603; https://outmemphis.org/ Texas – Equality Texas; 512-474-5475; 1502 West Avenue, Suite A, Austin, Texas 78701; https://www.equalitytexas.org/about/ contact-us/ Texas – The Montrose Center; 713-5290037; 401 Branard Street, Houston, Texas 77006; http://www.montrosecenter.org/ about/contacts/ Texas – The Pride Center; 210-370PRIDE (7743); 1303 McCullough Ave. Ste. 160, San Antonio, TX 78212; https://pridecentersa.org/ Utah – The Utah Pride Center; 801-5398800; 1380 S Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84115; https://utahpridecenter.org/ Vermont – Outright Vermont; 802-8659677; 241 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT 05401; http://www.outrightvt.org/ Vermont – The Pride Center; 802-8607812; 255 South Champlain St., Suite 12, Burlington, VT 05401; https://www.pridecentervt.org/ Virginia – LGBT Life Center; 757-6400929; 248 W. 24th Street, Norfolk, VA 23517; https://lgbtlifecenter.org/ Virginia – Equality Virginia; 804-6434816; P.O. Box 17860, Richmond, VA 23226;
Mobile apps Bullying, discrimination and harassment are major concerns for LGBTQ+ youth. Mobile apps are a great way to connect with others in your community or get mental health support. Apps can also provide further education and help you identify risks to your mental and physical health. Look for inclusive forums, chat rooms that offer a safe space and anti-bullying resources. All apps listed are for iOS and Android use. Speak Up! [https://play.google.com/ store/apps/details?id=com.rule14.socialvision] – This app allows students and teachers to report bullying and harassment in schools, giving school administrators the information they need to investigate and prevent discrimination in classrooms and online. Refuge Restrooms [https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=org.refugerestrooms] – Download this app to find safe and gender inclusive restrooms in your area, see restrooms on a map and even get navigation instructions. LGBTQ+ Amino Community and Chat: Download this app to meet LGBTQ+ youth and allies. Connect with new friends in a safe space on the forum or chat platform, discuss issues, ask for advice and share resources.
Visit us online www.sgn.org
Staying safe online Cyberbullying is a major issue for LGBTQ+ youth online. Be aware of the risks when using social media, and learn what to do if you are bullied online. Follow these cyberbullying safety tips to stay safe when you’re online. Don’t respond – If you’ve been targeted by an online bully, your gut reaction might be to respond. However, responding to a bully gives them more power, and shows them that they’ve hurt you. Avoid responding or retaliating to a cyberbully, and leave messages unanswered. Save messages – You don’t want to reread hurtful comments, but saving messages is the best way to put an end to cyberbullying. Show these messages to a trusted family member or counselor who can help. Even minor comments can escalate into something major, so save these messages. Block the bully – If you’ve been receiving private messages, you can block the bully, preventing them from sending you any more messages. If you’re in a chat together, leave the chat. Talk to someone – When you experience cyberbullying, talk to a trusted parent, school counselor or online counselor for support. They’ll help you find out if you can report the incident anonymously at school, as well as help you process your emotions. 4 ways parents can help LGBTQ+ youth If you’re the parent of an LGBTQ+ youth, support your teenager and help them maintain their mental health. These are four ways you can help your teenager, and you can easily find supplemental resources on the internet that provide information to families of LGBTQ+ youth.
July 17, 2020
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community. Courtesy of the HRC
Hotlines Have you been having suicidal thoughts? LGBTQ+ youth can reach out to the following hotlines in case of emergency or suicidal thoughts. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline [https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/helpyourself/youth/] – Call the Lifeline for confidential 24 hour support. 1-800-273-8255. For help in Spanish call: Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454. For help for the deaf & hard of hearing community: 1-800799-4889 The TrevorLifeline [https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/] – Reach out to the TrevorLifeline 24 hours a day by phone. 1-866-488-7386. TrevorChat connects you with a counselor from a computer. TrevorText is a phone service. Text “START” to 678678. The LGBT National Youth Talkline [https://www.glbthotline.org/talkline.html] – Access peer support for LGBTQ+ youth aged 25 or younger. 1-800-246-7743. Monday-Friday: 1 to 9 p.m. and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Courtesy of Internet Service Providers
Seattle Gay News 9
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
FILM
GLAAD’s 2020 Studio Responsibility Index: Highest recorded percentage of LGBTQ-inclusive films, but racial diversity drops and zero Transgender characters appear LOS ANGELES (July 16, 2020) – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today released its eighth annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI), a report that maps the quantity, quality, and diversity of LGBTQ characters in films released by the eight film studios that had the highest theatrical grosses from films released in the 2019 calendar year and four of their subsidiaries, as reported by box office database Box Office Mojo. These studios were Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, STX Films, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, the Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. For the full report, visit www.glaad.org/sri. GLAAD found that of the 118 films released from major studios in 2019, 22 (18.6%) included characters that were lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ). This represents a slight increase from the previous year’s report (18.2%, 20 out of 110 films) and the highestpercentage of inclusive films found in the eight-year history of the report. While the number of characters increased, no film studio received a grade of “good” or higher based on the quality, quantity, and diversity of LGBTQ representation in the studios’ slate. Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, United Artists Releasing, and Universal Pictures received “insufficient” grades; Sony Pictures Entertainment and Walt Disney Studios received “poor” grades; and STX Films received a “failing” grade, with no LGBTQ representation whatsoever. GLAAD noted a concerning continuation of a downward trend in terms of racial diversity of LGBTQ characters in this year’s report. There was a significant decrease in racial diversity of LGBTQ characters for the third consecutive year. In 2019, just 34% of LGBTQ characters were people of color (17 of 50), down from 42% in the previous report and a decrease of 23 percentage points from the 57% of LGBTQ characters of color in 2017. GLAAD is calling on the studios to ensure that within two years, at least half of their LGBTQ characters are people of color. This year’s report also shows a decrease in lesbian and bisexual representation compared to gay men. Gay men appear in 68% (15) of inclusive films, an increase from last year’s 55%. Lesbian representation has decreased significantly, down to 36% (8) of inclusive films. Bisexual representation slightly decreased to 14%, with only three films featuring bi characters, an equal number of films to the previous year. For the third year in a row, transgender characters were entirely absent from major studio releases. For the first time in the report’s history, GLAAD also tallied LGBTQ characters with disabilities. This year, there was only one character with a disability in major releases (Poe, Lionsgate’s Five Feet Apart). Subsidiary releases from art house studios counted two LGBTQ characters with disabilities, both from Sony Pictures Classics. In 2018’s Studio Responsibility Index, GLAAD called on the major film studios to ensure that 20% of annual releases include LGBTQ characters by 2021 and 50% be inclusive by 2024. Four of the eight studios hit this 20% goal individually: Paramount Pictures at 33% (up from 20% last year), United Artists Releasing at 29%, Lionsgate at 25%, and Walt Disney Studios at 21%.
10 Seattle Gay News
Moisés Arias as Poe in Five Feet Apart – Photo courtesy of Lionsgate
“Film has the power to educate, enlighten, and entertain audiences around the world and, in today’s divisive political and cultural climate, we must prioritize telling LGBTQ stories and the stories of all marginalized people,” said GLAAD president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis. “Despite seeing a record high percentage of LGBTQ-inclusive films this year, the industry still has a long way to go in terms of fairly and accurately representing the LGBTQ community. If film studios want to stay relevant to today’s audiences and compete in an industry that is emphasizing diversity and inclusion, then they must urgently reverse course on the diminishing representation of LGBTQ women and people of color, as well as the complete absence of trans characters.” GLAAD’s 2020 Studio Responsibility Index offers the following recommendations on how studios can both improve depictions of LGBTQ characters and avoid critical mistakes and setbacks: • A repeated problem found across several films in 2019: LGBTQ characters are too often featured in major blockbuster films in moments so small many audiences could have easily missed them. Of the 22 LGBTQ-inclusive films GLAAD counted from the eight studios tracked, only nine included an LGBTQ character who had more than ten minutes of screen time. More than half of LGBTQ characters (28 of 50, 56%) received less than three minutes of total screen time, with 21 of those appearing for less than one minute. Several LGBTQ characters were so minor that they were not given names. The huge waves of press garnered when announcements were made about blockbuster films including LGBTQ characters proves the passion and power of LGBTQ audiences anxious to support – and buy tickets to – these films. Hollywood must feel encour-
July 17, 2020
aged and empowered to leverage that interest and buying power by delivering movies that include substantial LGBTQ characters and by unambigously marketing and promoting those movies. • In 2019, mainstream films significantly regressed in representing the full diversity of the LGBTQ community. For the second year in a row, the racial diversity of LGBTQ characters decreased considerably with only 34% (17) of LGBTQ characters being people of color (POCs) in 2019. This is after a 15-percentage-point drop the previous year, going from 57% in 2017 to 42% LGBTQ POCs in 2018. Of the 17 LGBTQ characters of color counted this year, only four characters counted more than three minutes of screen time, with just one character appearing for more than ten minutes (Pepe, Lionsgate’s Perfect Strangers). Of the 50 LGBTQ characters in major releases, one (2%) was a character with a disability and he ultimately died (Poe, Lionsgate’s Five Feet Apart). GLAAD challenges Hollywood to prioritize authentic and meaningful LGBTQ characters, and stories highlighting the full community and LGBTQ characters living at the intersection of multiple identities. • For the second year in a row, only three major studio releases counted in GLAAD’s report included bisexual+ characters – despite bi+ people making up the majority of the community. Those films are Bombshell and Anna from Lionsgate, and Good Boys from Universal. One positive finding is that this year’s bisexual+ characters avoided the transactional trope we’ve seen too much of before – that is, women characters only engaging in a romance with another woman to gain something they need (often information or access) rather than out of any genuine interest. Unfortunately, there is zero representation of bisexual+ men this year. This era-
sure has a real impact on bisexual+ people who are less likely to be out of the closet than gays or lesbians, and report higher levels of minority stresses. Hollywood has an opportunity to lead and drive cultural change by telling compelling stories about fully developed bisexual+ characters. • GLAAD recorded zero transgender characters in the 118 major studio films released in 2019, a finding consistent with the previous two years. Disappointingly, film continues to lag behind other media as a third straight year passes with zero transgender characters in major releases. Meanwhile, the same time period on TV has seen the premiere of FX’s history making “Pose,” television’s first transgender superhero on The CW’s “Supergirl,” and transgender men stepping into series regular roles on FOX’s “9-1-1: Lone Star,” and Showtime’s “The L Word” and “Work in Progress.” Yet, major studio films continue to leave trans characters out of the story. While the year did include four transgender and/or nonbinary actors in major releases, none of those films established those characters as transgender or nonbinary within the film’s world. While we are pleased to see trans actors being cast in roles that are not explicitly written as transgender, for this report, GLAAD did not count those characters in its tally based on what was on screen. • This year, GLAAD counted two inclusive animated and family films, after having seen zero in the previous year’s report. Yet still, the category lags behind the programming boom happening in television for all-ages. In our previous report, for the first time in five years, GLAAD did not count a single inclusive film in the animated/family film genre released in 2018. In 2019, there were two inclusive films in
see GLAAD SRI page 15
Celebrating 46 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
July 17, 2020
Seattle Gay News 11
Vandal spreads racist messages across International District Black Lives Matter murals Franklin students fear for their safety, receive community support
Images provided by Renee Raketty
by Renee Raketty SGN Staff Writer Students at Franklin High School in Seattle learned a valuable lesson about hate and perseverance after their mural, one of several in the International District painted as part of the “Beautify and Protect” project was vandalized. The murals painted on boarded-up storefronts feature a variety of Black Lives Matter themes while others advertise the business within. “I had a premonition that this would happen to the mural because during the previous painting session the students and I were verbally accosted with hate speech twice by bigots driving by and walking by,” explained Lauren Holloway, the advisor and art instructor for the Franklin High School student club Art of Resistance and Resilience, and who discovered the vandalism after returning from a camping trip. “I was afraid that one of these bigots might come back to do damage to the mural.” The Seattle Gay News has previously reported on the student club and their mural, which began as a pilot project after the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Their club’s mural at 7th Avenue and Jackson Street honors Marsha P. Johnson, a prominent figure in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, and Ade A. Connere, a Capitol Hill resident and popular local theatre and cabaret performer who had been a fixture at Re-bar. “After seeing our mural vandalized, I went for a walk around the neighborhood to see if other Black Lives Matter murals were defaced,” said Holloway. “I located two other murals and a blank piece of wood covering a storefront [that were vandalized]. The other two murals centered on Black lives and one of the two murals had a specifically anti-Black message.” The person taking responsibility for the vandalism has been referred to as a “volatile” individual. The SGN decided to withhold their name for this article because he could not be reached for comment by press time. A review of their Facebook page reveals several rambling posts with racist and hate filled rants. On Wednesday, he wrote that he was the “angriest white male of all” who wears that title as a “badge of honor.” He goes on to say that he doesn’t care about Black people “one way or the other”
12 Seattle Gay News
until “they f[*]ck up Chinatown in Seattle.” He wrote: “I want to make them pay!” The vandalism had included his name in several instances and his Facebook included an omission of guilt, which was later deleted. The post read: “I’m marking myself all over the place in Chinatown because of what the [B]lacks did[.] I’m marking myself all over the place!” Holloway said her students were “angry” but “eager” to find out more information about the vandal and their motives. However, many were alarmed by what they found. “After the verbal harassments we received as well as the racist vandalism, the students and I didn’t feel safe working in an environment where people passing on foot or in a vehicle could – at any time – verbally harass us,” she said. “There was also a concern that the vandal could be dangerous. It was my idea to put a call out to volunteers in my network and also the Support the ID - Community United Facebook group I’m a member of.” The group received a “tremendous and moving” response from the community, according to Holloway. “Many people were quite upset about the vandalism but that translated into people taking action by showing up in large numbers to support us and provide security until the mural was complete,” she said. “This was community resilience in action and it was a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of. This is going to be a lesson that will stick with my students for life.” “At least 20 volunteers showed up the
July 17, 2020
next day to our scheduled paint session and, at moments notice, to hold the block down and bring snacks and refreshments. We even had street medics come down to keep an eye out for us. We were all so touched by the level of support and solidarity from everyone who joined us.” The community support was felt by the students, added Holloway, and led to the students not only covering the vandalism but putting even more effort into the mural. “I am so proud of the way they responded. They were determined to not let hate get in the way of their project,” she said. “They immediately went to work repairing the mural and the mural quality was even stronger as a result. For example, the student who painted Ade did an even better job the second time around with value in the face really bringing out the bone structure. He took on the challenge of growing as an artist.” The mural has since been coated with an anti-graffiti clear coat that is chemically formulated to work with a cleaning agent that easily removes graffiti from a vandalized mural without damaging it. In addition, members of the Support the ID Facebook group and International District Community Watch Group have vowed to keep a lookout for the vandal. “It’s taught the youth that we – as a community – can look out for, protect, and care for one another when hate strikes our communities,” concluded Holloway. “We take care of us. It was a lesson in resiliency and solidarity.”
Members of the club wanted to clarify an earlier quote in the SGN from a club participant to note that while there were no Black club members participating in the mural, they did have Black members of their club. Holloway said that Black students of the club feared “physical violence” because “police were inflicting violence on protesters.” In addition, other students had “social anxiety” or were “busy with other family obligations.” Holloway adds that the club just got a grant to hire Black, Indigenous, and People of Color teaching artists to co-advise the club. The grant will also cover art supplies and food. “The Franklin student population is 93 percent [BIPOC] but all the arts educators [during the last school year] are white, myself included. I strongly believe that representation matters,” she said. “I think we’ll see an even greater number of BIPOC students want to participate in the club when they see a teaching artist who is [BIPOC] or that Queer and/or Transgender People of Color is leading a social justice art club. I’m excited to see who the students pick.” Holloway says they will be accepting applications on the club’s Instagram page @ artofresistanceresilience in the next month.
Celebrating 46 Years!
Images provided by Renee Raketty
Visit us online www.sgn.org
July 17, 2020
Seattle Gay News 13
14 Seattle Gay News
July 17, 2020
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra presents a livestreamed concert from Kirkland Performance Center on Thursday, June 30 at 8pm Saxophonist Michael Brockman, coartistic director of Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, leads a small ensemble (the SRJO “Smalltet”) of all-stars drawn from the larger SRJO in a livestreamed concert from the Kirkland Performance Center on Thursday, July 30th at 8pm. The performance is a tribute to Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, two jazz titans who collaborated often and helped pioneer the Bebop jazz style. This performance is presented as part of the “KPC at Home” series, being held throughout the summer months during the COVID-19 lockdown. Jazz fans can listen and view the SRJO concert as it takes place, by visiting www. kpcenter.org where links to the live performance are offered via Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch. We suggest viewers log in early to make certain you have gained access to the concert site. Background music will be playing before the concert begins, and “signing in” to one of the three social media services might be required. Featured in this concert will be compositions by the great Thelonious Monk, including his famous pieces, “Misterioso,” “I Mean You,” and “Bye-Ya” plus two Monk compositions that were featured on the album Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants, “Round Midnight” and “Bemsha Swing.” Band members include SRJO’s regular drummer, D’Vonne Lewis, and SRJO saxophonist Alex Dugdale, plus two other Seattle superstars that have recently performed in the SRJO: pianist John Hansen and bassist Michael Glynn. We’ve created the SRJO Channel so our subscribers and jazz lovers worldwide can enjoy concert videos, recordings, photos, clinics and more! (updated weekly). Musicians in the Smalltet Michael Brockman is the co-founder (along with drummer Clarence Acox) of SRJO, which is currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary Season. He moved to Seattle in 1987 to join the faculty at the UW School of Music, and was recently inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame. D’Vonne Lewis appears all around the Seattle region and has won numerous awards for his playing, including “Instrumentalist of the Year”
GLAAD SRI
continued from page 10 this genre, though the moments are incredibly minor (two dads dropping their child off to camp in Paramount’s Wonder Park, and two moms escorting their child to school in Disney’s Toy Story 4). While these are nice moments of casual inclusion, affirming that LGBTQ people exist in all families of every kind, film should look to the boom and success of queer and trans representation in kids and family programming happening on TV. LGBTQ families and parents are part of the world experienced by kids, and should be part of the movies they see with their families. LGBTQ youth, who are coming out at younger ages as cultural acceptance grows, deserve to see ageappropriate, positive, and truthful representations of themselves in film. These small moments seen these past few years need to progress to more significant characters and stories appearing more regularly. “Telling meaningful LGBTQ stories is not just the right thing to do, it’s also just smart business. LGBTQ people are a significant audience who are supporting LGBTQ-inclusive films with our dol-
Thelonious Monk (l) and Miles Davis (r) – Image courtesy of SRJO
in 2018. Alex Dugdale is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, and appears with numerous groups in Seattle including his own group, Fade. John Hansen is among the most in-demand performers in our city, and appears regularly with trumpeter (and SRJO member) Jay Thomas, singer Kelley Johnson, and many other groups in Seattle. Michael Glynn is also among the most indemand performers in our city. He began his study with the great Buddy Catlett (former Count Basie and Louis Armstrong bassist), and has performed with numerous jazz legends that include Bud Shank, Jon Hendricks, Dave Grusin, Seamus Blake, Eric Alexander, and Benny Green. About SRJO The 17-piece SRJO is co-directed by saxophonist and arranger Michael Brockman, long-time faculty member of the UW School of Music and an authority on the music of Duke Ellington, and drummer Clarence Acox, award-winning former conductor of the Garfield High School bands and founder lars and digital attention. Nielsen found LGBTQ audiences are more likely to see a new theatrical release more than once compared to straight audiences, and continue to stay engaged consumers, with higher levels of purchasing a digital copy, subscription service, and spreading the word online,” said Megan Townsend, GLAAD’s director of entertainment research and analysis. “Studios should recognize the power of LGBTQ audiences and the desire for stories that reflect our lives, by delivering and unambiguously marketing films and franchises that include nuanced and authentic LGBTQ characters.” GLAAD’s Studio Responsibility Index reviews films based on GLAAD’s “Vito Russo test,” a set of criteria analyzing how LGBTQ characters are situated in a narrative. Named after GLAAD co-founder and celebrated film historian Vito Russo, and partly inspired by the “Bechdel test,” these criteria represent an expectation and standard, providing a roadmap for a greater number of mainstream Hollywood films to reach and surpass. However, as several films tracked prove, passing this test does not guarantee that a film is free of problems, offensive in its portrayals or tropes in films where an LGBTQ character may
Visit us online www.sgn.org
of the JazzEd organization. SRJO includes many of the region’s best-loved jazz soloists and band leaders: trumpeters Jay Thomas and Michael Van Bebber; bassist Phil Sparks; saxophonists Alex Dugdale, Mark Taylor, Sidney Hauser and Travis Ranney; trombonists Dan Marcus, Scott Brown, and Bill Anthony, guitarist Milo Petersen and pianist Randy Halberstadt. The ensemble is the recipient of numerous awards, including Golden Ear awards from Earshot Jazz for “Best Acoustic Jazz Group” and three times for “Concert of the Year,” and two “Starlight Awards” from the Kirkland Performance Center. Several members of the all-star group have been named to the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame, and many have won individual awards for “NW Best Instrumentalist,” “NW Emerging Talent,” “NW Best Recording” and more. SRJO’s compact disc, Kansas City Suite, released in 2014, has met with both popular and critical acclaim, and will go into its second pressing during the coming months.
Sponsors SRJO’s season and COVID-Relief are generously supported in part by individual contributors, plus ArtsFund, 4Culture, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA), Kennelly Keys Music, Art Works (arts.gov), Explore Kirkland, Lucky 7 Foundation, Muckleshoot Tribe, Tulalip Tribes, The Clowes Fund, Robert Chinn Foundation, Hubbard Family Foundation, Horizons Foundation, Earshot Jazz, Seattle Sound Repair, and KNKX 88.5 FM.
be tied to the film’s plot, but whose stories were objectionable. Passing the Vito Russo test is a first step, rather than the finish line. The Vito Russo Test criteria are: 1. The film contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ). 2. That character must not be solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e., the character is comprised of the same sort of unique character traits commonly used to differentiate straight or nontransgender characters from one another). 3. The LGBTQ character must be tied into the plot in such a way that their removal would have a significant effect, meaning they are not there to simply provide colorful commentary, paint urban authenticity, or (perhaps most commonly) set up a punchline. The character should matter. GLAAD’s 2020 Studio Responsibility Index found that 73% of LGBTQ-inclusive films (16 of 22) released in 2019 passed the Vito Russo test, which is the highest percentage recorded in the report’s history. However, in the wider context, those 16 films represent only 14% of the total 118 films released. GLAAD recently announced that it
will host a virtual ceremony for the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday, July 30, in place of the original ceremonies planned for earlier this year. The 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. The event will stream on GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube on July 30 at 8pm ET and will air on Logo on August 3 at 8pm ET. The virtual ceremony will feature special appearances by Lil Nas X, Dolly Parton, Dan Levy, Dwyane Wade, and Gabrielle Union, and many others. For more information, visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards and follow @glaad and #glaadawards.
July 17, 2020
Seattle Gay News 15
SRJO 2020-21 Concert Season SRJO is preparing to announce its 202021 subscription series that will include concerts with international stars Christian McBride and Joshua Redman sharing the stage with the SRJO. For more information, visit www.srjo.org Courtesy of Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, visit www. glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter. Courtesy of GLAAD
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
Compelling conversations on OutRight TV
In April, OutRight Action International [https://outrightinternational.org/] launched a new initiative – OutRight TV – a video and podcast series bringing to light stories of LGBTIQ people, activists, and allies from across the globe. We thought that especially in the midst of a pandemic, we should connect with each other, hear each other’s stories, and amplify each other’s voices. In the past 3 months, we have heard some incredible stories. I wanted to share some of my favorites with you. Just last week we aired my interview with actor, singer, and activist Alan Cumming. We talk about “trans-exclusionary radical feminists,” the impact of J. K. Rowling’s words on the safety of transgender lives, and Alan’s history with forestry. Earlier in the summer, I had the honor of speaking to my OutRight colleague Chandler Bazemore about growing up as a Black man in Virginia – the capital of the Confederacy, about racial inequality in the US, and his hopes and fears about the possibility of change in the aftermath of the worldwide protests sparked by the brutal
ippines – about growing up in the spotlight, getting married and losing work, and being an activist simply by living an open life. Our Africa Program Officer Yvonne Wamari talked to Kenyan Film Producer Toni Kamau, who recently produced the acclaimed documentary “I Am Samuel,” about being queer, African, rural and traditional, and releasing the film during a unique Pride month. And we have many more thought-provoking, humorous, and fascinating conversations! Tune in via video on our YouTube channel, or audio on SoundCloud. All episodes are also now being shared via Instagram. I hope you will enjoy and share these important conversations, and let us know if you have any suggestions for future episodes!
Image courtesy of OutRight Action International
killing of George Floyd. Our Arabic Media Coordinator Nazeeha Saeed interviewed human rights lawyer Mostafa Fouad about the life and legacy of Egyptian LGBTIQ activist Sarah Hegazi,
just days after she took her life in Canada. OutRight’s Project Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands Ging Cristobal spoke to Ice Seguerra – actor, singer, bad-ass guitar player, and transgender activist from the Phil-
With warm wishes to you and your loved ones, Jessica Stern Executive Director OutRight Action International
Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” grant launches in 2020, will benefit women and nonbinary filmmakers age 39+ SEATTLE (July 14, 2020) – To honor the legacy of beloved filmmaker Lynn Shelton, Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum, alongside Duplass Brothers Productions, is launching the Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” grant. The $25,000 unrestricted cash grant will be awarded each year to a US-based woman or nonbinary filmmaker, age 39 or older, who has yet to direct a narrative feature. Shelton often spoke of feeling inspired after seeing filmmaker Claire Denis speak at Northwest Film Forum and learning that Denis did not make her first feature until age 40. Shelton went on to make her own first feature film (We Go Way Back) at the age of 39. In the years since, she built a prolific canon of feature and television work and made an indelible mark on the landscape of American cinema. “This grant seeks to reinforce that great filmmakers can emerge at any age, and to elevate the voices of a segment of the filmmaking community who have precious few resources dedicated to supporting them yet plenty of stories to tell,” explains Megan Griffiths, Shelton’s longtime friend and collaborator, who is working in her capacity as a member of the board of Northwest Film Forum to help establish the grant. “Lynn was 39 when I met her on her first feature, and I watched her grow as an artist and become more certain in her path with every passing year. She wore her ‘late bloomer’ status as a badge of honor, and we know she would be thrilled that this grant exists in her name.” The grant fund was spearheaded by Duplass Brothers Productions, which includes Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, and Mel Eslyn, and has since been bolstered by many others, including Washington-based production company COLOR, Tracy Rector, Eliza Flug, Marc Maron, Joshua Leonard & Alison Pill, Michaela Watkins & Fred Kramer, CB Shamah, Chris & Philip Wohlstetter, and Jennessa & Robert West. It will be stewarded by Northwest Film Forum, one of Shelton’s favorite nonprofit organizations and a community film center that supported her in her early years and throughout her career. “In an industry where women, nonbinary, and trans individuals have historically had less success and visibility, hearing
16 Seattle Gay News
For those looking to give in her honor, donations to the Shelton/Seal Family Fund for the Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children, or Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum are encouraged. Founded in Seattle in 1995 as an independent film and arts nonprofit, Northwest Film Forum incites public dialogue and creative action through collective cinematic experiences. Each year the Forum presents hundreds of films, festivals, community events, multidisciplinary performances, and public discussions. As a comprehensive visual media organization, the Forum offers educational workshops and artist services for film and media makers at all stages of their development. More at nwfilmforum.org.
Lynn Shelton – Photo courtesy of NWFF
Lynn Shelton’s story of coming into film at an older age has been extremely inspiring,” says Vivian Hua, executive director of Northwest Film Forum. “The scope of this grant will ensure a positive impact on the lives of future recipients for years to come.” Mel Eslyn, president of Duplass Brothers Productions, adds, “There was an appreciation and an immediacy to the way Lynn approached her film and TV career, which she openly credited to her ‘late start.’ Now finding myself approaching the same age Lynn got started, I find it comical to think we call 39 a ‘late start.’ But the reality is there is just not enough representation of women over ‘a certain age’ in media, in front of, but even more so, behind the camera. We hope that this grant can be a meaningful step toward helping to change that.” Nominations for the Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” Grant are being sought from a national advisory committee made up of film programmers, filmmakers, and arts leaders, demonstrating expertise on the current filmmaking landscape and knowledge of emerging filmmakers from around the country. Some of these names are: Beth Barrett (Seat-
July 17, 2020
tle International Film Festival), Emily Best (Seed & Spark), Effie Brown (Gamechanger Films), Kat Candler (filmmaker), Amy Dotson (Northwest Film Center), Miranda July (filmmaker), Mynette Louie (producer), Leah Meyerhoff (Film Fatales), Lucy Mukerjee (Tribeca Film Festival), Janet Pierson (SXSW Film Festival), Mike Plante (Sundance Film Festival), Rishi Rajani (Hillman Grad), and Tracy Rector (filmmaker/activist), among others. An award selection committee will determine the recipient of the grant. Northwest Film Forum will award the inaugural grant in 2020. Shelton emerged from her hometown of Seattle to become a major force in American independent cinema and a prolific television director. She was a vibrant, kind, creative human being. Her work drew acclaim for its compassion, humor, unique voice and wonderful performances. Shelton directed eight features including Humpday (2009), Your Sister’s Sister (2011), Outside In (2018), and last year’s Sword of Trust. Shelton also worked in television, directing memorable episodes of acclaimed series, including “Mad Men,” “GLOW,” “The Mindy Project,” and “Little Fires Everywhere.”
Under their banner Duplass Brothers Productions (DBP), award-winning filmmakers Mark and Jay Duplass and Mel Eslyn create original projects for film, television, and digital media. In television, DBP was previously in an overall deal with HBO, which yielded the hit series “Room 104” (currently in its fourth season) and “Togetherness,” both of which Mark and Jay created, directed, and executive produced. HBO licensed DBP’s animated series “Animals,” which ran for three seasons. DBP is also active in the docuseries television space, best known for producing Netflix’s “Wild Wild Country,” winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series in 2018. DBP also produced “Evil Genius” for Netflix and “On Tour with Asberger’s Are Us” for HBO, and they will release a new docuseries on HBO and Hulu in 2020. DBP’s recent feature film productions include The One I Love, Tangerine, the Creep franchise, Paddleton, and Horse Girl. Both brothers have also been prolific in front of the camera. Mark is a series regular on the Golden Globe-nominated Apple series “The Morning Show,” and Jay starred in all four seasons of Amazon’s award-winning series “Transparent,” as well as the series finale movie. Courtesy of the NW Film Forum
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
BOOKS
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha wins the Lambda Literary 2020 Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction Lambda Literary is pleased to announce that Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha has been named the winner of the 2020 Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction. The award, given in memory of the beloved activist and author Jeanne Córdova, honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/gender non-conforming nonfiction authors. The award goes to a writer committed to nonfiction work that captures the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture and/or history. The Córdova prize judges chose Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha as the winner for the 2020 prize from an exciting group of talented lesbian/queer non-fiction writers. From the judges: “We selected Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha as the winner of the Jeanne Córdova Prize this year for her specific voice, and a body of work written to ensure that lesbian/ queer lives are not erased. Her writing about QTPOC communities and femme and queer disabled realities is breathtaking and immediate. And her forthcoming work shows that she continues to be committed to producing groundbreaking lesbian/queer nonfiction.”
Dirty River – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha – Photo courtesy of the author
5 Questions with Jeanne Córdova Prize Winner Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha [May 13, 2020] The Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/ Queer Nonfiction, awarded in memory of the beloved activist and author, honors lesbian/queer-identified women and trans/ gender non-conforming nonfiction authors committed to capturing the depth and complexity of lesbian/queer life, culture, and/or history. One prize is awarded annually. 2020 Córdova Prize Winner Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is a queer disabled femme writer, cultural worker, and educator of Burgher/Tamil Sri Lankan and Irish/Roma ascent. They are the author of Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home (short-listed for the Lambda and Publishing Triangle
Awards, ALA Above the Rainbow List), Bodymap (shortlisted for the Publishing Triangle Award), Love Cake (Lambda Literary Award winner), and Consensual Genocide, and co-editor of The Revolution Starts At Home: Confronting Intimate Violence in Activist Communities. Their latest book, Beyond Survival: Stories and Strategies From the Transformative Justice Movement (co-edited with Ejeris Dixon) was published in January. A lead artist with Sins Invalid, her writing has been widely published, with recent work in PBS Newshour, Poets.org’s Poetry and the Body folio, The Deaf Poets Society, Bitch, Self, TruthOut and The Body is Not an Apology. She is a VONA Fellow and holds an MFA from Mills College. She is also a rust belt poet, a Sri Lankan with a white mom, a femme over 40, a grassroots intellectual, a survivor who is hard to kill.
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is a queer disabled femme writer, cultural worker, and educator of Burgher/Tamil Sri Lankan and Irish/Roma ascent. They are the author of Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home (short-listed for the Lambda and Publishing Triangle Awards, ALA Above the Rainbow List); Bodymap (shortlisted for the Publishing Triangle Award); Love Cake (Lambda Literary Award winner), and Consensual Genocide, and co-editor of The Revolution Starts At Home: Confronting Intimate Violence in Activist Communities. Their latest book, Beyond Survival: Stories and
Strategies From the Transformative Justice Movement (co-edited with Ejeris Dixon) was published in January. A lead artist with Sins Invalid, her writing has been widely published, with recent work in PBS Newshour, Poets.org’s Poetry and the Body folio, The Deaf Poets Society, Bitch, Self, TruthOut and The Body is Not an Apology. She is a VONA Fellow and holds an MFA from Mills College. She is also a rust belt poet, a Sri Lankan with a white mom, a femme over 40, a grassroots intellectual, a survivor who is hard to kill. [LINK TO INTERVIEW: https://www.lambdaliterary.org/2020/05/5-questions-leah-lakshmi-piepzna-samarasinha/]
by Brian Gentes Lambda Literary Awards Manager
Visit us online www.sgn.org
Are there any LGBTQ writers or books that you count as formative influences to you as a writer? How did you discover them? Oh yeah. I came up in the 80s and 90s and I had the library, and I also worked shipping and receiving when I was sixteen in the basement of one of the two indie booksellers in Worcester, and because we were getting $4.25/hour minimum wage and an unpaid lunch break – and also because this was supposed to be an indie bookstore, but the head buyer would literally refuse to shelve books people ordered if they weren’t “family friendly” – we all had a very intense theft ring going. I stole hundreds of dollars of books from the returns, as did all of us. I got my first copy of Macho Sluts from there! In the library and also at the Borders in Framingham (where I also shoplifted), there were the early 90s queer intensity survivor books. Bastard Out of Carolina and Trash were both really important to me. Sapphire’s books, American Dreams and then Push when it came out. All of Chrystos’ poetry. The collection Critical Condition: Women on the Edge of Violence. June Jordan’s poetry, and Audre Lorde’s. This Bridge Called My Back was critically important: it showed you that you could write as a queer woman of color in a way that was alive, a letter at the kitchen table. Marge Piercy wrote these big, almost Victorian scale novels that were really grounded in working class, often queer, often non-white, women’s lives. It was kind of all Intensity Abuse Survivors Books and second wave queer feminism of color, plus zines. A lot of early queer BIPOC riot
July 17, 2020
grrl and punk zines, like Bamboo Girl and Mimi Nguyen and Helen Luu and Billie Rain’s work, were incredibly important to me. They showed me you could write stuff down and not wait to get published by a press, but just xerox your thoughts and mail them and have a huge audience. What does a writing day look like for you? I have a disabled writing life. People say I’m really productive, but I do a hell of a lot of other shit besides writing – gigs, teaching, speaking, writing coaching, organizing. And, faffing about the house, growing food and regular disability life stuff, like the couch and watching massive quantities of online television while icing my joints. My brain sometimes tends to go towards this work first, because its more concrete and immediate and deadlined. Especially during the pandemic, it’s been tough getting myself to write because my brain wants to do work that will a) pay money, b) involve other people. Also, my brain feels like sludge due to isolation and mass fear, because, as many people have said, a global pandemic is not a writer’s retreat. But, having said all that, right now I tend to wake up, go make a cup of tea and do the dishes, and then get back in bed and start making notes, checking FB and working through tasks – and writing. Stuff comes to me and I make room for it. Early is better. A lot of my writing happens in a disabled way, because it comes when “nothing is happening” and I get an idea. I have to lay a trap for it, which is the sick life. I also have things I need to do, that have gotten easier to access as I’ve gotten older and am less financially desperate and more able to say what I need – like, turning off my phone and getting the writing done first. Before the pandemic, I got a lot of writing done at my “secret office,” which is my favorite carrel at the library of the state college where my partner goes to school – I walk in with my shit and just look like another middle aged mixed race punk. I have a desk in my bedroom, but it mostly exists to hold piles of crap; most of my writing happens in bed or at the kitchen table. I came up in a literary tradition that was about serving the people/the community, and that’s still there – a lot of my best ideas or pieces start as Facebook or other online comments or posts, and then I go from there.
see CÓRDOVA PRIZE page 21
Seattle Gay News 17
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
BOOKS
Jericho Brown, Jane Wagner, and Brian Lam honored with 2020 Lambda Literary Awards by Brian Gentes Lambda Literary Awards Manager Jericho Brown – Trustee Award [May 27, 2020] Jericho Brown is the 2020 recipient of Lambda Literary’s Trustee Award, given annually to an extraordinary individual who has broken new ground in the field of LGBTQ literature and culture. In his Pulitzer Prize-winning collection, The Tradition, he writes about everything from mass shootings to rape to the murder of unarmed people by police and examines how we’ve become accustomed to terror. His words are both beautiful and raw, and his awe-inspiring displays of formal skill, including the creation of a new poetic form called the duplex – a combination of the sonnet, the ghazal, and the blues – allow his words to move through the reader with a breathless cadence and touch the very heart of our cultural crisis. Brown is one of the most commanding poets writing today and that coupled with his many contributions to the queer community as a mentor and teacher made him the trustees’ unanimous choice for this year’s award. Brown is the author of the aforementioned book, The Tradition, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize and which is a finalist for this year’s Lambda Literary Award in Gay Poetry. He is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard, and the National Endowment for the Arts, and he is the winner of the Whiting Award. Brown’s first book, Please, won the American Book Award. His second book, The New Testament, won the AnisfieldWolf Book Award. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, The Tradition won the Paterson Poetry Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. His poems have appeared in The Bennington Review, Buzzfeed, Fence, jubilat, The New Republic, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, TIME, and several volumes
Jerico Brown – Photo courtesy of the author
of The Best American Poetry. Brown holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Orleans, a PhD in literature and creative writing from the University of Houston, and he is currently the director of the Creative Writing Program and a professor at Emory University in Atlanta.
For more information about the Trustee Award and previous years’ winners [https://www.lambdaliterary.org/ special-awards/] Check out the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards finalists at https://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current-finalists/
Trustee Award Lambda Literary bestows its Trustee Award on individuals who have broken new ground in the field of LGBTQ literature, publishing, filmmaking, journalism, playwriting, etc. Established in 2013, the Award honors those who, through their achievements and passionate commitment, have contributed to the LGBT literature and arts community in significant and tangible ways: through works of literature, film, and other media or by establishing publishing houses, publications, archives, bookstores, or further institutions. Trustee Award recipients are determined by Lambda Literary’s Board of Trustees.
Jane Wagner – Visionary Award [May 27, 2020] Jane Wagner is the 2020 recipient of the Visionary Award, which honors those who, through their achievement and passionate commitment to writing have contributed positively and tangibly to the LGBTQ community. The humanity and depth of her writing, as well as the storied career which has seen her excel in a variety of mediums, from acting to textile design to writing for the page, stage, and screen, has been an inspiration to many within the queer community. Wagner’s innovative and barrier-breaking work has helped influence and shape the lives of generations of young LGBTQ writers and even today, at the age of eighty-five, she shows no signs of slowing down. Lambda Literary is not the first to call Jane Wagner a visionary, but we are incredibly proud to honor her with this award for an extraordinary career that has spanned over a half century. Wagner is one of America’s most distinguished playwrights and has won numerous awards, including several Emmys for writing and producing and a Writer’s Guild Award for her work in television. Her Broadway success, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, was one of the most critically-acclaimed plays of the 1985-86 season
The Tradition – Image courtesy of Copper Canyon Press
and won a New York Drama Critics’ Circle Special Award and a New York Drama Desk Award. The hardcover edition of the book was the first play in twenty years to appear on The New York Times bestseller list, and Wagner also adapted the screenplay for an HBO film for which she wrote the haunting title song, “We Are The Ones” (1992). She has three Grammy nominations for comedy albums she wrote with Lily Tomlin, Modern Scream, And That’s the Truth, and On Stage, and two Peabody Awards, for the CBS television special “J.T.”, and the ABC television special “Edith Ann’s Christmas: Just Say Noel.” It was Wagner’s work on the teleplay “J.T.” that brought her to the attention of Lily Tomlin, who was seeking a writer for her television character, the precocious Edith Ann, at the same time Wagner was looking to expand her writing to include comedy. They began working together on an Edith Ann album, Edith Ann: And That’s the Truth (1971), which began an award-winning, creative alliance that has lasted over forty years. Wagner was also a founding member of the website WOWOWOW.com, where she, along other celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, Candice Bergen, Liz Smith, Lily Tomlin, Peggy Noonan, Marlo Thomas, and Lesley Stahl worked to create an online community owned and run by women for women of all ages and origins. Lambda Literary hosted a conversation between Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin, and Hilton Als on June 30th. Visionary Award Lambda Literary bestows its Visionary Award on individuals who have broken new ground in the field of LGBTQ literature and publishing. Established in 1995, the Award honors those who, through their achievements and passionate commitment, have contributed to the LGBTQ literary community in significant and tangible ways: through works of literature, or by establishing publishing houses, publications, archives, bookstores, or other institutions. Visionary Award (previously the Pioneer Award) recipients are determined by Lambda Literary’s Board of Trustees.
Jane Wagner – Photo courtesy of the author
18 Seattle Gay News
July 17, 2020
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe – Image courtesy of Harper Collins
For more information about the Visionary Award and previous years’ winners [https://www.lambdaliterary. org/special-awards/] Check out the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards finalists at https://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current-finalists/
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG Brian Lam – Publishing Professional Award [May 27, 2020] Brian Lam is the 2020 recipient of the Publishing Professional Award, which honors a distinguished individual in the community whose innovative work in the publishing industry promotes and promulgates LGBTQ literature. Throughout his almost forty-year career, Lam has been a fierce champion of authors and one of the LGBTQ community’s strongest advocates. Lam is the Publisher and President of Arsenal Pulp Press [https://arsenalpulp. com/], based in Vancouver, Canada. He joined the company in 1984, becoming coowner in 1992. He is a former president of the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia, and a former board member of the Association for the Export of Canadian Books (now Livres Canada Books). He currently serves on the board of the Association of Canadian Publishers. In 2014 he won the Community Builder Award from the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop, and in 2018 received the Ivy Award from the Toronto International Festival of Authors. Among the authors Arsenal Pulp Press has published include Amber Dawn, Ivan Coyote, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Larissa Lai, Casey Plett, Sarah Schulman, Vivek Shraya, Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, Thomas Waugh, and Joshua Whitehead. [LINK TO INTERVIEW: https://www. lambdaliterary.org/2020/05/5-questionswith-publishing-professional-awardwinner-brian-lam/]
Brian Lam – Photo courtesy of Lambda Literary
5 Questions with Publishing Professional Award Winner Brian Lam [May 27, 2020] by Brian Gentes Lambda Literary Awards Manager Lambda Literary’s Publishing Professional Award honors a distinguished individual in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community whose innovative work in the publishing industry promotes and promulgates LGBTQ literature. 2020 Publishing Professional Award Winner Brian Lam is the Publisher and President of Arsenal Pulp Press, based in Vancouver, Canada. He joined the company in 1984, becoming co-owner in 1992. He is a former president of the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia, and a former board member of the Association for the Export of Canadian Books (now Livres Canada Books). He currently serves on the board of the Association of Canadian Publishers. In 2014 he won the Community Builder Award from the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop, and in 2018 received the Ivy Award from the Toronto International Festival of Authors. Among the authors
Arsenal Pulp Press has published include Amber Dawn, Ivan Coyote, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Larissa Lai, Casey Plett, Sarah Schulman, Vivek Shraya, Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, Thomas Waugh, and Joshua Whitehead. Can you tell us about your tenure at Arsenal Pulp? How has the press changed during that time? I started at Arsenal Pulp Press in the summer of 1984, as a co-op student from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. I did basically anything that needed to be done: fill bookstore orders, paste together ads, read manuscripts. The press invited me back in 1984 and 1985, and then in 1986 hired me full-time. My major was in creative writing and it was my intention to pursue the writing life after I received my degree, but after working at the press, I felt that publishing was really my calling. Arsenal Pulp was always known as a countercultural press, having started in 1971, a time of youthful rebellion and political upheaval. What impressed me about the
Visit us online www.sgn.org
press when I joined was its commitment to social and political issues, and giving voice to those who lacked positions of power, in particular women and Indigenous peoples. Meanwhile, the old guard at Arsenal Pulp was moving on, leaving me to become the de facto publisher at the age of twenty-eight. It was in 1992, when Stephen Osborne, the founding publisher, invited me to become a co-owner with him, that I started to feel more comfortable in my skin, and more empowered to pursue and initiate books that mattered to me on a personal level. The following year we published Queeries (edited by Dennis Denisoff), the first anthology of gay male prose published in Canada, which received a wonderful advance blurb from Dennis Cooper; this book opened up the US market for us, at a time when there was a plethora of gay, lesbian, and feminist bookstores and publications. This led to more anthologies, including the series Queer View Mirror (gay and lesbian short fiction), Quickies (gay erotic fiction) and Hot & Bothered (lesbian erotic fiction). In the 27 years since Queeries, we’ve
July 17, 2020
published dozens of books by LGBTQ+ writers, many of whom I’ve admired over the years who’ve come to publish with us (Sarah Schulman, Thomas Waugh, Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, Leah Lakshmi Piepza-Samarasinha) and many whose careers continue in partnership with us over many books and many years (Ivan Coyote, Amber Dawn, Vivek Shraya). We have a particular interest in books by Black and Indigenous writers and writers of color, but beyond that, we gravitate toward writers whose work contains a social and political thread. These are writers who are characterized not only by their identity, but also by their desire and willingness to assert their rightful place in the world. We consider it an honor to publish their work. Arsenal Pulp’s impressive LGBTQ publishing program spans decades. What are your thoughts about the current state of queer publishing, and/or the future? So much has changed over the decades; too many LGBTQ+ booksellers, publishers, and review media have come and gone. At the same time, I think there’s more of a willingness on the part of mainstream media to consider LGBTQ+ books. It wasn’t all that long ago that The New York Times or The Globe and Mail (Canada’s national newspaper) would consider queer books too “fringe” for their audiences, but now that’s not necessarily the case. I think reading audiences have also matured; our books are read by both straight and queer audiences, and they’ve won non-queer literary awards, such as Casey Plett winning the $60,000 Amazon First Novel Award in Canada last year. But that’s not to say our authors are compromising their queerness in order to gain a larger audience; if anything, it’s because they have dug deep and asserted their queerness that their books have gained appeal among all kinds of different readers. And that’s a change for the better. What is a cause for concern is the lack of new queer presses. We’ve seen some energetic and enthusiastic start-ups, only to have them founder due to burnout and/ or lack of funds. The demise of queer bookstores and LGBTQ+ media has made it difficult for young queer publishers to gain a foothold. Indie presses have certainly provided an alternative venue for LGBTQ+ writers; to a certain extent so have the large multinationals, but one has to wonder how committed they really are in an economically unstable time.
see BRIAN LAM page 21
Seattle Gay News 19
Allyship - an organization of LGBTQ individuals fighting for economic and social justice. www.LGBTQAllyship. org, allyship@yahoo.com, (206) 279-8169. American Veterans for Equal Rights - www.aver.us Another Gay Social Club! - www.meetup.com/AnotherGay-Social-Club/ Bellingham/Whatcom County - www.theslowlane. com/guide.html BiNet Seattle is a mixed gender, social group for Bisexuals, their partners & other Bi-friendly folks - www. binetseattle.org. Bremerton/Kitsap County - www.outwestsound.org Capitol Hill Alano Club - www.chacseattle.org Cascade Rainbow Community Center (Mount Vernon) - (360) 840-8499 and on Facebook. Central Washington University GALA Hotline: (509) 963-1994. Channel Q 103.3 FM - LGBTQ+ Talk Radio Network News and information, pop culture and music. radio.com COLAGE unites people with LGBTQ parents and caregivers into a network of peers and supports them as they nurture and empower each other to be skilled, self-confident, and just leaders in our collective communities - www.colage.org DIFFA/Northwest (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). (206) 763-8885; www.diffanorthwest. org DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT: Crisis Clinic, (206) 461-3222 (24 hour line); King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) - 24-hour crisis line for information, support, & medical & legal assistance: 1-888-99-VOICE; Northwest Network support & advocacy for Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse & Dating Violence, (206) 568-7777 (voice), 517-9670 (tty), www.nwnetwork.org; Pierce County Domestic Violence Helpline: Teresa, (253) 798-4166; Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities - offers on-going support groups for men: 323-1768; Seattle Police Dept Domestic Violence Unit, (206) 684-0330; State Wide Domestic Violence Hot Line, 1-800-562-6025. In an emergency call 911. Report domestic violence and sexual assault. Equal Rights Washington - (206) 324-2570; www. equalrightswashington.org Everett/Snohomish Cty - www.gaysnohomish.org Freely Speaking Toastmasters - www.freelyspeaking.org Gay City promotes wellness in LGBTQ communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts, and building community. Gay City Health Project’s Wellness Center provides anonymous & confidential HIV/STD testing. 517 E Pike St. More info or to schedule an appointment, (206) 860-6969. www.gaycity.org Gay & Lesbian National Hotline (GLNH): 1-888-THEGLNH (1-888-843-4564). Non-profit, peer-counseling, information & local resources telephone hotline for GLBT people across the country. Generations Aging With Pride empowers elder LGBTQ adults to live with pride and dignity by promoting, connecting, and developing innovative programs and services that enhance belonging and support, eliminate discrimination, and honor the lives of older members of our community - (206) 393-3400; info@gapseattle.org; gapseattle.org GLSEN/WA - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - (206) 330-2099; www.glsenwa.org Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) - (206) 363-9188; www.thegsba.org HIV/AIDS Program, Seattle/King County Dept of Public Health, provides confidential/anonymous information about & testing for HIV/AIDS. (206) 205-7837. For a comprehensive list of HIV/AIDS service organizations see the GSBA Guide or visit www.thegsba.org or call Lifelong AIDS Alliance, (206) 328-8979. Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com Lambert House - (206) 322-2515; www.lamberthouse. org LGBT Library - 517 E Pike St. Open Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. A wide range of fiction and non-fiction for the LGBT community and allies can be borrowed free of charge. LGBT MS Connection - (425) 785-8593; lgbtmsconnections@comcast.net. Support group for LGBT persons with MS and their partners and their caregivers. Sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Lifelong AIDS Alliance - (206) 328-8979, www.lifelongaids alliance.org Lion’s Main Art Collective - www.lionsmain.org MEN: Gay City: (206) 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: (206) 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Northwest Bears: www. nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians. net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.com; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: www.raincityjacks. org; Seattle Gay Couples: www. seattlegaycouples.org; Seattle Men in Leather: www.seattlemeninleather. org; Seattle Prime Timers: Gay & Bi men 40 & over, www. seattle primetimers.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.) MUSIC: Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; Rainbow City Band: 1-866-841-9139 ext 2126; rainbowcityband@onebox.com; www.rainbowcity band. com; Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus: (206) 388-1408, (206) 323-0750. www.seattlechoruses.org. Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project - gayhistnw@aol.com
20 Seattle Gay News
community resources Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org Olympia/Thurston County - www.RainbowCenterOly. org Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Seattle Regional Affiliate supports the work of LGBT employees and the growing number of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) making a difference within local companies, including Alaska Airlines, Amazon.com, Amgen, AT&T, Bank of America, Deloitte, Macy’s, Microsoft, Russell Investments, Safeco Insurance, Starbucks Coffee, Xerox. www.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle Out & Proud Grays Harbor Coalition - http://outandproudgh.org PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption & provides a network of safe placement agencies, training, support & resources: (206) 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: (206) 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Proud & Loud Families - Northwest, www.meetup.com/proudand-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: (206) 568-7777, qpnd@nwnetwork.org, www.nwnetwork.org; Rainbow Families of Puget Sound: www.rainbowfamiliesps.org PFLAG is the national organization for parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ people united for equality with chapters in Seattle, Bellevue/Eastside, the Puget Sound region and across Washington state. PFLAG Seattle: (206) 325-7724, info@pflagseattle.org, and www.pflagseattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: (425) 483-6642, info@bellevue-pflag.org, http://community. pflag.org/PFLAGBellevue; PFLAG Pacific Northwest: www.pnwpflag.org; PFLAG Washington State Council: www.pflagwsc.org. Peer Seattle (formerly Seattle Area Support Groups) is a non-profit organization that builds community and cultivates powerful, healthy lives by providing emotional support and personal development services to those affected by HIV/AIDS, the Queer communities, and those who love them. Our work is done in a spirit of safety, trust, inclusiveness, and celebration of individual differences. (206) 322-2437; www.peerseattle.org PEOPLE OF COLOR: AARTH (African American Reach & Teach Health Ministry), (206) 850-2070, www.aarth.org; Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, (206) 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, (206) 461-6910, www.multiculturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, (206) 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, (206) 781-3565, iya@ilelailai.org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), (206) 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo.com, www.macctsea.org; Northwest Two Spirit Society, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/nw2spiritsociety/, Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, (206) 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; QBASS - Queer Black Alliance of the South Sound, (253) 256-1846, weareqbass@gmail. com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, (206) 322-7061, (206) 255-8951; Somos Seattle, somosseattle.org; Trikone-Northwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www.trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-685-0164; U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle, www.utopiaseattlewa.org; VietQ Greater Seattle, vietqorganization@gmail.com Pierce County AIDS Foundation - (253) 383-2565; www.piercecountyaids.org Pride Foundation - (206) 323-3318; www.pridefoundation. org Pride Lives - www.facebook.com/PrideLives/ Pride Radio 93.3 HD2 Project NEON is a program of Seattle Counseling Service providing FREE information & services to Gay & Bi men to reduce health risks associated with methamphetamine use. (206) 323-1768. www.crystalneon.org Public Health-Seattle & King County Online Comprehensive Health Information for Sexual Minorities: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/ glbt.aspx Q Law: The GLBT Bar Association of WA - (206) 682-6711; www.q-law.org Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - (206) 235-7235. Queer Geek! - queergeekseattle.org Rainbow Center - Resource Center for Tacoma/Pierce County LGBTIQA community. Through education, advocacy and celebration, the Rainbow Center expands resources, and safe space for the LGBTQIA community.
July 17, 2020
Sponsors Tacoma Pride Festival. (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. www.voteseamec.org Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center (SASG) i- SEE LISTING for Peer Seattle. Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network - BiSeattle.wixsite. com/SBWN and on Facebook. Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities is a community mental health service for GLBT persons & their families providing comprehensive mental health services on a sliding scale. (206) 323-1768. Seattle LGBTQ Commission - (206) 684-4503. www/ seattle.gov/lgbtq Seattle Out & Proud - (206) 322-9561; www.seattlepride.org Seattle Police Department Sexual Minorities Community Advisory Council: kim.bogucki@seattle.gov Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org Sex Workers Outreach Project - https://seattle. swopusa.org Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan - (206) 860-3666; www.theabbey.org Snohomish Health District HIV/AIDS Program provides free confidential/anonymous HIV counseling & testing 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, until 7pm Tuesdays. (425) 339-5298. South Sound Q Calendar - LGBTQ events in Tacoma, Olympia & Sound Puget Sound area; www.SouthSoundQCal.com Spokane/Inland Northwest - www.outspokane.com; www.stonewallnews.net SPORTS & RECREATION: Bent Car Guys: www. bentcarguys.org; Border Riders Motorcycle Club: www.borderriders.com; Bottom Dwellers Scuba Club: www.bottomdwellers.org; Capitol Hill Cyclers: join their Facebook group or email capitolhillcycling@ groups.facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@gmail.com; Cascade Flag Football: www.cascadeflagfootball.org; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugby.com; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emeraldcitysoftball. org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: ethylforever@hotmail.com; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes.com; Olympic Yacht Club: www.oycnw.org; OutVentures: outdoor education & recreation activities, www.outventures.org; Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association: www.pacificnwgra.org; Puddletown Squares: www.puddletownsquares.org; Rain City Soccer: www.raincitysoccer.org; Rain Country Dance Association: a country-western dance organization catering to the LGBTQ community but open to all, www.raincountrydance.org; Sea Dawgs: LGBT ice hockey - SkateSeaDawgs@gmail.com and on Facebook; Seattle Frontrunners: www.seattlefrontrunners.org; Seattle Gay Basketball Association: www. seattlegaybasketballassociation.com; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswimteam.org; Seattle Otters Water Polo: www.otterpolo.com; Seattle Quake Rugby: www.quakerugby.com; Seattle Tennis Alliance: www. seattletennisalliance.org; Seattle Unified Bowling Association (SUBA): magee98106@aol.com, www. teamseattle.org/bowling.htm, www.theprideleague. com, Century 21 League; Seattle Volleyball Club: www.seattlevolleyballclub.com; Ski Buddies: www. skibuddies.org; Team Seattle Gay Sports Network is an umbrella organization for a wide range of local GLBT sports activities, (206) 367-4064, www.teamseattle.org (see website for comprehensive list of sports clubs); Triangle Recreation Camp at Bender Creek: recreational camping for GLBT folks. Must be 21; ID required. trc@ camptrc.org, www.camptrc.org, 1122 E Pike St #1069, Seattle 98122-3934. Strength Over Speed - www.strengthoverspeed.org Tacoma/Pierce County - Rainbow Center, 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, a resource center for the LGBTIQA community of Pierce County, (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org Three Dollar Bill Cinema - TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival; Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival; Outdoor Cinema at Cal Anderson Park. www. threedollarbillcinema.org TRANSGENDER: Emerald City Social Club: (425) 827-9494; Gender Alliance of the South Sound: www. SouthSoundGender.com; Gender Diversity: www. genderdiversity.org; Gender Justice League: www.genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey: www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born
Support Group: (206) 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: (206) 329-6651, www.ingersollcenter.org; Lion’s Main Art Collective: www.lionsmain.org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup.webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www.facebook.com/pages/ Olympia-Trans-Discussion-Group/262449878114; [trans] ACTION: Trans* & Gender Non-Conforming Sex Workers’ Support Group - a safe, peer-led space. mail@utopiaseattle.org; TRANSform Washington: transformwashington.com; Trans Resource & Referral Guide: kctransguide.org; Trans Women of Color Solidarity Network: Funding the collective liberation of Trans women of color – https://m.facebook.com/ TWOCSolidarityNW/; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www.washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: Aging Ballard Lesbian Exchange (A.B.L.E.): We are Lesbians 60 years (generally) and up, living (mostly) in the north half of Seattle. The purpose of the group is to connect, socialize and support each other. ruthemilyvogel@gmail.com; Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS) - Lesbian Group at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center. This is a gathering primarily for Lesbians but all are welcome to attend. Kate, (206) 722-0317; www.sessc.org; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. (206) 720-5566, 1-888-292-1912; Coming Out Women Support Group of Tacoma: www. comingoutwomen.org; Festival of the Babes: www. festivalofthebabes.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Puget Sound Old Lesbian Organizing for Change: http:// psoloc.org, (253) 777-3357; Older Lesbians Organizing for Change/WA State Chapter: gloria@oloc.org, mary@oloc.org, www.oloc.org; Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives: www.pnwlesbianarchives.org; RainshadowWomen: RainshadowWomen@aol. com; Seattle Bisexual Women’s Network: BiSeattle. wixsite.com/SBWN; Seattle Girls of Leather: www. sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www.tacomalesbianconcern.org; Tacoma Older LGBT: www. tacomaolderlgbt.org; Women of West Seattle (WOWS): a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwestseattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks. org, (206) 461-4493. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.) YOUTH: B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group): Youth Eastside Services offers many programs for GLBT youth, including B-GLAD, (425) 747-4937; Coyote Central: www.coyotecentral.org; Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; GLSEN/Washington State (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) & Washington State GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) Network: GLSEN works to create safe schools for LGBT students. WA GSA Network supports youth-led GSA’s to fight harassment & homophobia in Washington state schools. (206) 330-2099; www.glsenwa. org; www.wagsa.org. GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): a support group & HIV/STD prevention program for GLBTQ youth, 14-20, in Everett, (425) 263-2908, www. globeyouth.org; It Gets Better Project: www.itgetsbetter.org; Lambert House: an activities & resource center for LGBT youth, 14-22, 1818 15th Ave @ E Denny Way, with additional support groups organized in smaller towns throughout King County, (206) 322-2515, www. lamberthouse.org; Lifelong HEYO (Health Education Youth Outreach): for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24: (206) 957-1665; www.llaa.org/HEYO; www.MatthewsPlace. com; The Mockingbird Society: (206) 323-KIDS (5437), www.mockingbirdsociety.org; New Horizons: social services and shelter for homeless youth, 2708 3rd Ave (in Belltown), (206) 374-0866, http://namin.org; Oasis Youth Center: for GLBTQ youth, ages 14-25, in Tacoma, (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter. org; OKAY! LGBTQ+ Outreach for Kent Area Youth: (253) 859-0699 ext 3034. OKAY! is an open support group for youth ages 13-19 who identify as LGBTQ+. A program of Kent Youth & Family Services; OUT There Adventures: www.outthereadventures.org; Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/ Puget Sound: (206) 325-7724, www.seattle-pflag.org; Pizza Klatch: weekly lunchtime support groups for LGBTQ youth in Thurston County, www.pizzaklatch. org; Prism: for LGBTQ youth, 14-21, in Puyallup Cherise.Alexander@ multicare.org; www.facebook. com/PuyallupPrism; Proud Out Wonderful (POW!): for LGBTQ youth, 13-21, in South King County, (206) 326-9112, www.facebook.com/proudoutwonderful; Q Youth Resources: in Kitsap County - (360) 698-3335; www.kchaf.org; Roots Young Adult Shelter: 1415 NE 43rd St., (206) 632-1635; www.rootsinfo.org; Safe Schools Coalition: www.safeschoolscoalition.org; (206) 451-SAFE, (206) 451-7233 (non-emergency), 1-877-SAFE-SAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): (206) 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Street Youth Ministries (SYM): (206) 524-7301 ext 111; www. streetyouthministries.org; Teen Link: (206) 461-4922, 1-888-431-TEEN; The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor; www.thetrevorproject.org; True Colors - Connecting LGBTQ Teens: in Shoreline, (206) 362-7282 x 8018, lbagley@chs-nw.org; The Vera Project: fuels personal & community transformation through collaborative youthdriven engagement in music and art. (206) 956-8372; theveraproject.org; Vista Youth Center: for LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth, ages 14-21, in Kennewick, (509) 396-5198, www.vistayouthcenter.org; YouthCare/ Isis Program (Transitional Living Home for LGBTQ Young Adults, 18-22): (206) 522-8412; YouthCare/ Orion Center Young Adult Shelter: 1828 Yale Ave @ Stewart St. (206) 622-5555; Youth in Focus: (206) 723-1479; www.youthinfocus.org; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoud-GLBTQ): (206) 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273-TALK, www.yspp.org
Celebrating 46 Years!
www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now • VISIT SGN.ORG
BOOKS
BRIAN LAM
continued from page 19 Is there a book you’ve published that’s particularly memorable? There’s been many, of course, but two stand out (if I may): The Dictionary of Homophobia (2008) is a 500-page translation of a book originally published in France, that details (alphabetically, in dictionary fashion) the history of homophobic moments and figures around the world. This was a huge undertaking for us; at one point during the editorial process, we had 5 people in the office simultaneously editing the various entries. The most memorable moment, however, came when the book’s original French editor Louis-Georges Tin, the founder of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, appeared before the United Nations General Assembly as part of a French delegation introducing a UN resolution to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide, and held up a copy of the book and sang “We Shall Overcome.” Another memorable book was Sarah Schulman’s nonfiction book Conflict Is Not Abuse (2016). Despite Sarah’s impressive literary output that has produced numerous published novels, essay collections, and plays, she couldn’t find a publisher for this book given its (supposedly) contentious content. At the time, we had brought back into print a number of Sarah’s out-of-print novels, including Rat Bohemia and Empathy, and I had long admired her for her tenaciousness and brilliance. When the book was published, it was ignored by the mainstream press, but then something remarkable happened: because of the clarity and political relevance of Sarah’s vision, the book became a word-of-mouth sensation, and remains one of our bestsellers over
CÓRDOVA PRIZE continued from page 17
Are there other lesbian/queer nonfiction writers working today whose work you particularly admire? Saidiya Hartman, Savannah Shange, Kai Cheng Thom, Syrus Marcus Ware, Alice Wong, Stacey Milbern Park, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Ejeris Dixon, Lynda Barry, Lydia X. Brown, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Naomi Ortiz, Noemi Martinez, Eli Clare, Clementine Morrigan. What are you reading now? Is there any book that you’ve found cathartic or instructive during the pandemic? I’m a nerd and I’m always drawn to queer and trans sci fi for its world building, wit, and visions of the future. I read Annalee Newitz’s The Future of Another Timeline this past week and I really loved and appreciated it, because it showed queer and trans time travelers altering the future and the past, and the effect our small queer choices can make. All the stuff my disabled friends write, most of which is online and some of which is in angry or laugh/crying text messages. Ursula LeGuin, always. Octavia reminds me that she knew exactly how bad it was going to get and that horrible things would happen, and yet there are still choices and agency, and some people will survive, albeit not unscarred. As the kid of someone with polio, I haven’t reread it recently, but Anne Finger’s Elegy for a Disease is an important queer polio memoir, and reminds me of pandemics and the disability politics of them of the past. M Téllez’s All That’s Left series and their other spec fic and erotic writing is also always great; I very much appreciate their crip, Latinx, poor, trans, rust belt writing about the future present. What’s next for you? Good question. Right now I’m in a weird in-between stage because I just wrote or cowrote or co-edited four books in two years.
The Dictionary of Homophobia – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
Conflict Is Not Abuse – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
My Art Is Killing Me and Other Poems – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
nine printings. More than its commercial success, however, I’m proud of the impact that the book has had on so many readers from so many different backgrounds. What are you reading now? Is there any book that you’ve found cathartic or instructive during the pandemic? Over and above reading manuscripts (the work never stops), I’ve found time to dip into a couple of books that I’ve long been meaning to read: Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, and Philippe Besson’s French novel Lie with Me. I’m taken with writers who take language and make it all their own. I’ve also had time to reread a couple of our new poetry books: My Art Is Killing Me and Other Poems by Amber Dawn and The Gospel of Breaking by Jillian Christmas. I think poetry is particularly useful during this pandemic; it forces us to slow down and savor language.
Vanishing Monuments – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
We Had No Rules – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
I’m not complaining, but I am a little now what? Before the pandemic, I was working on a small zine about my estranged abusive parents dying, which is kind of turning into a book, I think. I’ve also been working in spurts on a sequel-ish thing to Dirty River that attempts to tell the story of me coming back to the US in 2007 just in time for the birth of disability justice and a lot of really wild QTBIPOC times in Oakland in the 2010s. And I have a very early book that is looking at where transformative and disability justice comes together. And I wrote the script for an issue of Gabby Rivera’s bb free comic. So I guess despite feeling like all I do is cook beans, I have another four things on the go, as per fucking usual. Also, survival, both my own and our collective survival, is hopefully what’s next. Which is at the mercy of fascists who want us to die, our own small bold queer and trans daily choices, and completely unpredictable, wild shit.
ning of Seattle, a stunning suite of stories on the messiness of love and desire. This fall, we’re looking forward to Like a Boy but Not a Boy, an essay collection by andrea bennett about being, among other things, a nonbinary parent, and The Name I Call Myself, a children’s picture book by Hasan Namir, who won a Lambda Literary Award for gay fiction for God in Pink. Finally, among other things we’re stoked about in 2021 (in addition to life after the pandemic) is Between Certain Death and a Possible Future: Queer Writing on Growing up with the AIDS Crisis, a nonfiction anthology edited by the amazing Lambda Literary Award-winning writer Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore.
Like a Boy but Not a Boy – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
Publishing Professional Award The Lambda Literary Publishing Professional Award honors a distinguished individual in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community whose innovative work in the publishing industry promotes and promulgates LGBTQ literature.
For more information about the award and Jeanne Córdova [https:// w w w. l a mb d a l it era r y. or g /sp e ci a l awards/] Check out the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards finalists at https://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current-finalists/
For more information about the Publishing Professional Award and its previous years’ winners [https://www.lambdaliterary.org/special-awards/] Check out the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards finalists at https://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/current-finalists/
About Lambda Literary Lambda Literary nurtures and advocates for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies, and affirm the value of our stories and our lives. Our programs include the Lambda Literary Awards, the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices, LGBTQ Writers in Schools, Lambda LitFest, and the Lambda Literary Review. Support our work: https://www.lambdaliterary.org/donate/
About Lambda Literary Lambda Literary nurtures and advocates for LGBTQ writers, elevating the impact of their words to create community, preserve our legacies, and affirm the value of our stories and our lives. Our programs include the Lambda Literary Awards, the Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices, LGBTQ Writers in Schools, Lambda LitFest, and the Lambda Literary Review. Support our work: https://www.lambdaliterary.org/donate/
Visit us online www.sgn.org
Courtesy of Lambda Literary
The Name I Call Myself – Image courtesy of Arsenal Pulp
Are there any LGBTQ books coming soon from Arsenal Pulp that we should watch for? We just published two fantastic fiction titles that I’m very proud of: Vanishing Monuments, a novel by Kansas City writer John Elizabeth Stinzi about a non-binary photographer who returns home to tend to their dementia-afflicted mother, and We Had No Rules, a story collection by Corinne Man-
July 17, 2020
Courtesy of Lambda Literary
Seattle Gay News 21
HOME SERVICES
HEALTH SERVICES U CALL WE HAUL Construction Sites, Basements, Garages, Dirt, Wood, Concrete, Junk Removals, Washing Machines, Dryers, Stoves, Etc. Tidy, (206) 354-8949
JOANN’S NEAT & SWEET CLEANING Our Crew Is Reliable & Trustworthy. Remember, Neat Is The Way To Go. (206) 841-7339 (Office) (206) 399-3281 (Cellular) 34/6
PICASSO PAVING Professional • Reliable
Lonnie Dillman Lonnie@PicassoPaving.com (425) 287-2256 (Office) Every Detail Matters. All Work Guaranteed. The Fine Art of Paving. 29/1
22 Seattle Gay News
July 17, 2020
Celebrating 46 Years!
DONATE TO SGN TODAY! www.gofundme.com/f/seattle-gay-news-needs-your-support-now
Visit us online www.sgn.org
July 17, 2020
Seattle Gay News 23
THIS AD SPACE HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY DONATED BY KRISTIN COSTELLO IN MEMORY OF SGN PUBLISHER GEORGE BAKAN