Celebrating 43 Years! Issue 29 Volume 45
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I won’t go, Ed Murray says The league’s top stars compete in the WNBA All-Star Game in Old documents spark new Seattle this weekend, calls for resignation including officially out Storm player Sue Bird
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray – Photo courtesy of KOMO
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Embattled Seattle Mayor Ed Murray insisted he would not step down after the Seattle Times released documents showing that Oregon child protective officials be-
lieved that he had molested his foster son in the early 1980s. The documents – once thought to have been destroyed – resurfaced in the Times on July 16, and reignited the controversy
see ED MURRAY page 7
Sue Bird – Photo courtesy of the Seattle Storm
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer WNBA All-Star Game KEY ARENA ABC-TV (KOMO-4) July 22 @ 12:30pm
The WNBA’s top players will face off against each other this weekend here in Seattle, as the Emerald City hosts the league’s annual All-Star Game for the very first
see WNBA page 13
HRC hosts HBCU presidents and Sen. Patty Murray introduces senior leadership for first-of-its- LGBT Data Collection Act kind summit on LGBTQ inclusion
Photo courtesy of Human Rights Campaign
The new summit brought together senior representatives from sixteen HBCUs from across the country WASHINGTON DC – [On Wednesday, July 19], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil
rights organization, hosted its first ever HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Briefing for University Presidents and Senior Executives. The summit is a daylong meeting of high profile HBCU leadership to discuss LGBTQ inclusive practices
see HBCU page 14
Patty Murray – Photo courtesy of Huffington Post
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Washington Senator Patty Murray has introduced legislation that would require federal agencies to collect and report data on sexual orientation and gender identity. The LGBT Data Inclusion Act was introduced July 17 in both houses of Congress,
with 95 Congress members signing on. The measure applies to all federal agencies that collect survey information “that includes demographic data where subjects either self-report information or a knowledgeable proxy provides information about the subject or responds for all persons in a
see PATTY MURRAY page 14
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Thank you for your support! Let’s keep working together to build an inclusive, prosperous Puget Sound Region. #INDIVISIBLE
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ED MURRAY continued from cover
around Murray’s sexual conduct. Murray was the defendant in a lawsuit filed three months ago charging that he’d had sex with a then-underage 15-year-old boy in the late 1980s. Other accusations of sexual abuse of teenage boys followed. The newly revealed documents come from one of those cases, complaints made by Murray’s one-time foster son Jeff Simpson. Murray’s long political career came to an abrupt end in May when he dropped out of the race for reelection. In June his accuser, Delvonn Heckard, dropped his lawsuit against Murray the day before Heckard was set to be formally deposed by Murray’s legal team. According to documents obtained by the Seattle Times in a public records request, Oregon Child Protective Services (CPS) investigators found Simpson’s allegations of sexual abuse valid. A detective found two corroborating witnesses, and a letter from the Portland District Attorney’s Office said they didn’t believe Simpson was lying. Oregon authorities concluded that Murray should no longer be certified as a potential foster parent. Shortly afterwards,
Murray returned to Seattle and by the late 1980s had allegedly established an ongoing relationship with Delvonn Heckard, the plaintiff in the recent sex abuse lawsuit. In his statement rebutting the Times story, Murray said he’d never been informed of the CPS assessment and hadn’t previously seen the other records and said he would have appealed the findings if he had known about them. Murray’s statement began with an unequivocal denial of the charges against him, a position he has not changed since these charges first surfaced. “Since the day several months ago when sexual abuse allegations surfaced against me in the media, I have been clear that those allegations are false,” he said. “They remain just as false today as they were back then.” According to Murray, Simpson’s “accusations were fully investigated at the time, and the District Attorney decided there was too much doubt to go forward with a case against me or the other foster parent [facing similar accusations from Simpson]. In fact, after examining the hundreds of pages of documents generated by the investigation, the District Attorney actually withdrew the case from the Grand Jury.” According to the Times story, prosecutors believed Simpson’s account, but
thought he would not be a credible witness because of his history of substance abuse, and only for that reason decided to drop the case against Murray. While Murray’s original denials were accepted at face value by many people, the new information published by the Seattle Times seemed to turn the tide against him. Seattle City Council member and former Murray ally Lorena Gonzalez called for the mayor to resign or face removal from office. If Murray doesn’t quit by July 24, Gonzalez warned, the City Council should convene a committee “to determine if a transition in executive leadership is merited under these circumstances.” Gonzalez’s colleagues on the Council were not so quick to jump into the fray, however. City Council President Bruce Harrell – who would become Acting Mayor if Murray resigned – said the Mayor was still doing his job and should not be removed from office. Sally Bagshaw, the only Council member to defend Murray, warned her colleagues against “grandstanding.” Mayoral candidates Jessyn Farrell, Mike McGinn, Carey Moon, and Nikkita Oliver all joined Gonzalez in calling for Murray to step down.
Ed Murray reads a statement to media members in regards to a lawsuit, April 7, 2017 – Photo by Elaine Thompson / AP
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IN MEMORIAM – Doris L. Harris Generous recipe of a woman by Dorinda Henry Special to the SGN Doris L. Harris, Author, Poet, Playwright, and Activist, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2017. In her passing, her family in Pittsburgh, PA lost a loved one. Seattle lost one of its African American LGBT Pioneers. The artist community lost one of its best. Many lost a dear friend, and two beautiful young boys lost the best thing that could have ever happened to them. To all of you, I am terribly sorry for your loss, and I send to you my deepest and most sincere condolences. Doris L. Harris was a woman of many talents. More than anything, Doris was a writer. Her work has graced the pages of numerous publications. She was a conveyor of life and love – life as a black woman in America, life as a child of a heroin addict – life as a woman and lover of women, of love gained and of love lost. She inspired and encouraged countless women to write. Among her many accomplishments, she was a recipient of the Nikki Giovanni Poetry Award, the Astraea Foundation Writer’s Fund Award & Grant and the Playwright Award from the National Black Arts Festival. From the Astraea Foundation Award, came her chapbook of poetry entitled Refreshments. The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, GA highlighted her play The Satin Sisters with a public reading. As CoFounder of BackBone Productions, Seattle was introduced to Author Sharon Bridge-
forth, Essence Magazine editor Linda Villarosa, and Seattle’s first Black Gay Pride Celebration, numerous Butch/Femme Balls and a Seattle production of The Satin Sisters. When the Lesbian Resource Center/ Women’s Resource Center contemplated closing its doors, Doris L. Harris stepped the leadership of that organization. She had a profound sense of dignity, justice and legacy. She knew, the importance, the impact and the social, cultural, political and historical significance of such an organization for women, same-and-both-gender loving women, and particularly, women of color. Before she passed away, Doris L. Harris was still writing and her poetry remains sought after. I have tried to tell you about Doris L. Harris, the Author, the Poet, the Playwright, the woman. Now, let me tell you about the depth and breadth of the loss of my Friend. Doris had the heart of a female lion protecting her cubs. She was unrelenting when it came to matters of the heart. Her tongue was quick and her Mother’s Wit was unparalleled. She was not just my friend, she was also once my lover, she was my biggest cheerleader and harshest critic. She was at times my mother, my advisor, my confidante, and my editor. For nearly 30 years, she graciously poured herself out to me, and others, demonstrating in tangible ways, what it means to be a “Generous Recipe of a Woman.” Goodnight Doris, we’ll see you on the other side of midnight.
FULL COURSE MEAL I am a generous recipe of a woman created long before calories counted I’m a 2 cups of brown sugar stirred slowly bring to a fast boil, kind of woman rich, thick, tasty, full of mouthwatering sin, the kind of woman that stays on your mind from the beginning, and until the end I am a generous recipe of a woman, created with lots of butter eggs, the sweetest cream whipped silky smooth, when I laugh out comes the sun and the moon, And when I sigh, as I see you reaching for your plate, knowing we will satiate today’s hunger, and tomorrow’s needs, Keep in mind, there’s so much more of me, I am a generous recipe of a woman ©Doris L. Harris
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Candidates and guests share space and conversation at the GSBA’s 2017 political candidates reception by MK Scott SGN Contributing Writer It was a who’s who event at the Greater Seattle Business Association’s “Power Connect: Civic Engagement” on Tuesday, July 18th. Last year the event was held on the rooftop of Precept wines; this year we were out of the hot sun and in a massive indoor space, Amazon’s Meeting Center at their Doppler Center in downtown Seattle, with over 200 people talking with dozens of candidates all competing in the August 1st Primary Election and hoping to advance to the General Election in November. It was a relaxed setting to enjoy a glass of wine or beer and savor hors d’oeuvres and a tasty lemon bar.
Some of the candidates spotted were King County Executive Dow Constantine; Mayoral candidates Cary Moon, Nikkita Oliver and Jenny Durkan; Seattle City Council candidates Hisam Goueli, Jon Grant, Mac McGregor, Sara Nelson, Sheley Seacrest, Charlene Strong and Pat Murakami; Port of Seattle Commissioner candidates Ryan Calkins, Stephanie Bowman and Peter Steinbrueck plus SEAMEC co-chairs Thomas Pitchford and Norman Sigler. The 2017 GSBA Candidate Forum for the General Election is expected to take place on Tuesday, September 19th. For more information, visit www. thegsba.org or call 206-363-9188. And don’t forget to vote!
All Photos by Nate Gowdy
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Seattle Gay News 11
Looking for funding for your community programs?
The Seattle Park District has three great funding programs for community activities! All of these programs focus on funding priority populations, including people of color, immigrants and refugees, and the LGBTQ community.
Arts in Parks funds outdoor arts and cultural projects in City parks. Funded
projects include new and established festivals, events, and temporary public art.
Get Moving funds culturally relevant physical activities to communities
where health disparities are prevalent. Funded activities will strengthen the collaboration between Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle communities through innovative and sustainable programs.
Recreation for All funds new, innovative, and culturally relevant recreation opportunities. Funded programs will take place in City of Seattle community centers, parks, and facilities.
Learn more about these opportunities by attending an information session!
Refreshments and children’s activities are provided. We can make interpreters available with 72 hours’ advance notice. Please contact Elizabeth Esborn at (206)233-5168 or elizabeth.esborn@seattle.gov for more information.
July 20, 2017 5:30-7 p.m. Broadview Library
12755 Greenwood Ave N Seattle, WA 98133
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July 29, 2017 2:30-4 p.m. Meadowbrook Community Center 10517 35th Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98125
July 21, 2017
July 31, 2017 5:30-7 p.m. NewHolly Library
7058 32nd Ave. S # 104 Seattle, WA 98118
August 3, 2017 2-3:30 p.m. Douglass-Truth Library 2300 E Yesler Way Seattle, WA 98122
Celebrating 43 Years!
Dr. Hisam Goueli on Police De-escalation Policy and poor. Our society has chosen to deny people with mental illnesses the compassion and dignity they deserve by providing them with inadequate health care and social services. We must take care to ensure they don’t die when they interact with the police. Here are three immediate actionable items we can do to save lives: 1. The SPD currently provides crisis intervention training. I believe we should add to this training by requiring all SPD officers to spend 40 hours receiving mentorship and skills-based learning in emergency psychiatric services. A curriculum could be developed that educates officers in the following areas: • Facial emotional recognition • Verbal de-escalation • Creating a culture of safety • Establishing rapport
Photo courtesy Hisam Goueli
by Dr. Hisam Goueli Special to the SGN The killings of Charleena Lyles in Seattle and Michael Rude from Kent have shown us that there is an immediate need
for our police to be better trained to interact with people with mental illnesses. I have worked in mental health care as a hospital psychiatrist for 13 years. I see agitation and aggression every day from patients, a significant portion of whom are also homeless
2. We should coordinate with police and social services to provide integrated care plans for “frequent utilizers” – people who make frequent use of emergency care for mental health issues. A similar policy where I worked in Atlanta reduced hospitalizations and costs by half. This is a policy for more compassionate care and cost savings. 3. We should require police officers to
learn and carry non-lethal means for disarming people with mental illness when required. We need to develop policies for engaging people who are impaired or dangerous in non-lethal ways. I want to impress upon readers that mental illness is not a choice people make. These illnesses are serious and require effective, compassionate treatment strategies. We should reform our health care system to better serve people with mental illness; but we should also empower our police to serve as allies. It is the responsibility of the police, as paid protectors of the peace, to de-escalate high-tension situations and act always for the preservation of life. With smart and coordinated policies, and a perspective that treats people with mental illnesses with respect and empathy, we can improve outcomes, cut costs, and save lives. Short Video on Police Accountability: https://youtu.be/N7vQaY67aQU Contact: peopleforhisam@gmail.com Website: www.electhisam.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/PeopleForHisam Twitter: www.twitter.com/HisamGoueli Hisam Goueli is a candidate for Seattle City Council, Position 8
WNBA
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time. Divided into two teams, East and West, a total of 24 players will participate in Saturday afternoon’s game in front of a seated audience at Key Arena and millions more tuning into the live telecast. Representing the host city, Sue Bird (Guard) and Breanna Stewart (Forward/ Center) were selected from the Seattle Storm. Joining them on the West squad are Diana Taurasi (Guard) and Brittney Griner (Center) from the Phoenix Mercury, Maya Moore (Forward), Sylvia Fowles (Center), Seimone Augustus (Forward/Guard) and Rebekkah Grunson (Forward) from the Minnesota Lynx, Candace Parker (Forward), Nneka Ogwumike (Forward) and Chelsea Gray (Guard) from the Los Angeles Sparks and Skylar Diggins-Smith from the Dallas Mercury. The starting lineup is Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Parker and Fowles. The West team is coached by Cheryl Reeve from the Minnesota Lynx. Playing for the East team are Tiffany Hayes (Guard), Layshia Clarendon (Guard) and Elizabeth Williams (Center) from the Atlanta Dream, Jasmine Thomas (Guard), Jonquel Jones (Forward/Center) and Alyssa Thomas (Forward) from the Connecticut Sun, Tina Charles (Center) and Sugar Rodgers (Guard) from the New York Liberty, Stefanie Dolson (Center) and Allie Quigly (Guard) from the Chicago Sky, Elena Delle Donne (Forward/Guard) from the Washington Mystics and Candace Dupree (Forward) from the Indiana Fever. Hayes, Thomas, Delle Donne, Jones and Charles are on the starting lineup. The East team is coached by Curt Miller from the Connecticut Sun. Of the players chosen to compete in the WNBA All-Star Game, staged at the midpoint of the ongoing season, four are openly
Elena Delle Donne – Photo courtesy of the WNBA
lesbian: Griner, Augustus and Delle Donne, who announced her engagement last year to longtime girlfriend Amanda Clifton, and the Storm’s own Bird, who publicly announced she was gay on the morning of July 20 and is currently dating another Seattle lesbian athlete, Megan Rapinoe of the Seattle Reign women’s pro soccer team. “I’m gay. Megan’s my girlfriend. ...,” Bird told ESPNW during an interview that broke Thursday just before the noon hour. “These aren’t secrets to people who know me. I don’t feel like I’ve not lived my life. I think people have this assumption that if you’re not talking about it, you must be hiding it, like it’s this secret. That was never the case for me.” Earlier this year, retired player Candice Wiggins created controversy within the league when she said during an interview
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with The San Diego Union-Tribune that “98% of the women in the WNBA are gay women” and that she was bullied during her eight-year professional career because she was heterosexual. However, several players, both retired and active, contradicted her statement, including Chicago Sky star Imani Boyette, who responded by blog that “There is literally a woman from every walk of life in the league, which is why I love it so much. I have never experienced the bullying you spoke about, and I hope no one else ever does.” Ticha Penicheiro, a member of the 2005 Sacramento Monarchs championship team and now an agent, further stated, “I played in the league for 15 years – for three different franchises – and never experienced it personally, or witnessed any other player being bullied.”
Bird incidentally won the popular pregame event, the Three-Point Shootout, by sinking 36 of 84 three-point shots, followed closely by Maya Moore who made 33 of 82. The Storm guard, who is 36 year-old, is the oldest player in the entire league and the most decorated, having won two WNBA titles with Seattle and earned four gold medals as a member of the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Team USA women’s basketball program. ABC will televise the game, which gets underway at 12:30pm on Saturday, July 22 inside Key Arena. For tickets, go to www. StormBasketball.com or www.keyarena. com.
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Seattle Gay News 13
Labor loves LGBT legislators
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer In ratings released at its 2017 conven-
PATTY MURRAY continued from cover
household…” In other words, any federal agency that collects data on the populations it serves would have to ask whether its clients identified as LGBT, and if they did, would have to report the data along with other data like racial or gender identification. The bill does not require federal employees to make a judgment about a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, or to force their clients to out themselves. In fact, it includes provisions to protect the privacy of clients. It simply orders federal agencies to ask about sexual orientation and gender identity if they also ask about other characteristics, like race, sex, or country of origin. Collection of such data is important because federal resources are usually allocated on the basis of need. One measure of need is how many people are actually in the population targeted by a particular program.
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and policies and share best practices for expanding equality on their campuses. Presidents and senior officials from sixteen HBCUs joined HRC representatives, as well as Michael Lomax, CEO and President of the United Negro College Fund and former president of Dillard University, for the event. The strong showing from HBCU administrators underscores the enhanced need for leadership on LGBTQ inclusion from university officials amidst the ongoing attacks on LGBTQ rights within both K-12 and higher educational institutions by the Trump Administration. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities continue to be at the forefront of social change for our community,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Facing unprecedented attacks by the Trump-Pence regime on marginalized Americans of ev-
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tion, the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) gave its seal of approval to many of the six sitting LGBT state legislators. Stars of the show were Representatives Laurie Jinkins (D-27), Christine Kilduff (D-28), Joan McBride (D-48), and Nicole Macri (D-43). All of them scored perfect 100% pro-labor voting records. On the Senate side, Jamie Pedersen (D43) also scored a 100%, although he has not always been a pro-labor advocate. His lifetime score is low for a Democrat, only 82%. Marko Liias (D-21) scored 96%. Liias departed from the state’s unions on two issues: he voted to exempt Uber, Lyft, and similar companies from the obligation to pay for unemployment insur-
ance for their drivers; and he voted to classify interpreters and translators working for state agencies as independent contractors, meaning they would not be eligible for unemployment, disability, and other benefits enjoyed by employees. Both measures were passed by the Republican-controlled Senate, but rejected by the Democratic-majority House. Straight Seattle mayoral candidates Senator Bob Hasegawa and former Rep. Jessyn Farrell each earned 100% ratings from the WSLC. The 2017 legislative sessions were challenging for labor, as the Republican-controlled Senate blocked a budget deal until June 30, finally passing a compromise bud-
get only hours before the state government would have shut down due to lack of funds. Paychecks for thousands of state workers and their families – as well as the statefunded public programs they staffed – were at stake. WSLC concluded that state Republican leaders are “anti-labor extremists,” in the words of an article in their 2017 Legislative Report. Labor leaders said they hoped to flip the Senate back to Democratic control in a special election to fill the Senate seat held by the late Andy Hill (R-45). Democratic candidate Manka Dhingra was a special guest at the WSLC, getting a standing ovation from the 400 delegates.
Because sexual orientation and gender identity have never been protected classes in federal law, federal agencies have historically neglected to collect data on them. Under the Obama administration, the Census Bureau did try to count LGBT individuals, but questions that would allow them to do so have been eliminated from census reporting under the Trump regime. The Obama-era Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also began an ambitious program of LGBT data collection as part of its plan to implement nondiscrimination mandates under the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare). HHS also acknowledged its responsibility to collect data on Transgender individuals and committed to work with the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles and the Center for Population Research in LGBT Health at the Fenway Institute to develop concrete plans to do so. The Trump-era HHS, under LGBT foe Tom Price, has halted collection of LGBT data, and the Republican Party as a whole is
committed to repealing the ACA – presumably including its nondiscrimination provisions.
Trump’s Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, has also suppressed data about LGBT students.
ery background, the HBCU Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Briefing is one of the vital ways we continue to connect in new and unique ways to stand as a united front against those who oppose equality and justice for all. HRC is honored to host senior leadership from these sixteen esteemed institutions.” “From Texas to DC, Georgia to Delaware, HBCU presidents and senior leadership are standing up for LGBTQ students,” said Leslie Hall, Manager of the HBCU Project. “The commitment and dedication demonstrated by HBCU leaders in attendance demonstrates that LGBTQ inclusion on HBCU campuses will continue moving forward regardless of the political environment. HRC’s HBCU Project looks forward to continuing to work with the administrators and others to ensure that every LGBTQ HBCU student is welcomed, affirmed and protected in who they are.” The briefing is part of a multi-prong strategy to create high-level policy changes that will support and protect LGBTQ students and staff on college campuses around the country. Over the course of the daylong briefing, attendees heard from experts in the fields of higher education, business, and government on the importance of making investments
in LGBTQ diversity and inclusion. HBCU Presidents and other senior administrators shared best practices and learned about HRC’s National HBCU Recognition Program, a new benchmark program measuring LGBTQ inclusion within historically Black colleges and universities. Representative Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), a graduate of Clark Atlanta University and Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, delivered the briefing’s keynote address. “As a proud graduate of two HBCUs, Clark Atlanta University and Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, I believe that we should be doing all we can to help everyone feel welcomed and included,” said Representative Johnson. “We must hold the moral high ground to promote diversity and acceptance of all students at a time when equal rights are under attack. It is incumbent upon us to continue the legacy of community and inclusion I felt as a student and reject fearful silence and intolerance at every turn.” The sixteen HBCUs represented at the briefing included Fayetteville State University, Dillard University, North Carolina A&T University, Virginia State University, University of the District of Columbia, Morehouse College, Norfolk State Univer-
sity, Howard University, Delaware State University, Savannah State University, University of Alabama, Johnson C. Smith University, Prairie View A&M University, Tennessee State University, and Texas Southern University. HRC’s HBCU Project was founded to support LGBTQ students at HBCUs by providing resources and trainings to advance affirming and supportive college campuses. For the last 12 years, the HBCU Project has hosted an annual HBCU Leadership Summit to train and prepare student leaders and administrators to advocate for LGBTQ inclusion and safety. To learn more about the HRC’s HBCU Project, visit http://www.hrc.org/blog/topic/hbcu.
July 21, 2017
Senator Patty Murray – Photo courtesy spokesman.com
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. Courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign
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Anti-Transgender legislation introduced during Texas special legislative session
AUSTIN, TX – [On Thursday, July 20], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, called on the Texas legislature to reject two anti-transgender bills, SB3 and SB91, introduced overnight by Texas Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. After more than thirty anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in the regular session, Governor Abbott called a special session with the stated purpose of passing a measure intended to discriminate.
This most recent attack on the LGBTQ community doubles down on the discrimination Sen. Kolkhorst and Lt. Gov. Patrick championed during the regular session. SB3 and SB91 mandate HB2-style antitransgender discrimination in any multiple-occupancy restroom or locker room in any property owned by a city, county, school district, state agency, or other political subdivision. Further, it would overturn LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances protecting millions of people across Texas in cities such as Austin, San Antonio,
Dallas and Fort Worth insofar as those ordinances protect people from discrimination in bathrooms. It also prohibits these entities from forbidding discrimination in athletics on the basis of any characteristic not currently reflected in state law – an obvious jab at transgender athletes in particular. “Texas had the most anti-LGBTQ legislative session in the United States, and now Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick are pushing their extreme agenda with this unnecessary, costly special session,” said JoDee Winterhof, senior vice president of policy and political affairs for the Human Rights Campaign. “SB3 and SB91 are a blatant attack on transgender Texans, and these bills would harm the state’s reputation, its people and its economy. This unconscionable legislation revives the most troubling parts of the anti-transgender legislation that already failed to become law during the regular session and doubles down on the governor and lieutenant governor’s desire to play political football with transgender Texans’ lives. We will be fighting against these harmful bills and any attempt to single out LGBTQ Texans.” During the 2017 regular session, the Texas Legislature has pursued a slate of unconscionable anti-LGBTQ bills as part of a systematic effort to roll back the rights of LGBTQ Texans, piece by piece. This session, the Texas legislature introduced at least 30 anti-LGBTQ bills, and 11 passed at
least one chamber. By comparison, in 2017 all other states combined passed only 13 bills through at least one house. Now, Gov. Abbott has decided that is not enough. We have to ask: how much discrimination will be enough? HRC has more than a dozen staff on the ground in Austin – alongside dozens of volunteer organizers – who have been leading field organizing efforts around the state to defeat these anti-LGBTQ bills. HRC continues to work alongside Equality Texas, ACLU of Texas, Texas Freedom Network, the Transgender Education Network of Texas and others on the ground to battle against dangerous or harmful bills that attack the dignity of LGBTQ Texans. As a coalition, we will stand together; we will support and comfort one another; and we will continue to work together until we defeat every bill this session that discriminates against LGBTQ Texans. The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. Courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign
Anti-LGBTQ legislation in Texas: What they’re saying AUSTIN, TX – As the Texas Senate State Affairs prepares to hear testimony on the anti-transgender legislation SB3 and SB91 [on Friday, July 21], more and more Texas, businesses, faith leaders and other organizations are making their voices heard opposing these harmful bills. This discriminatory legislation would have a negative impact on Texas’ economy, damage the Lone Star State’s reputation and harm LGBTQ Texans. Here is a sample of the broad-based opposition to bills such as SB3 and SB91:
Educators, businesses and faith leaders agree... 15 school superintendents and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce: “[We] oppose any legislation that seeks to regulate bathroom usage in public spaces and public schools… We all want to ensure our children are safe, but more importantly, treated respectfully and with dignity.” 14 Dallas-area CEOs: “Our companies are competing every day to bring the best and brightest talent to Dallas. To that end, we strongly support diversity and inclusion.
This legislation threatens our ability to attract and retain the best talent in Texas, as well as the greatest sporting and cultural attractions in the world.” National Episcopal Church: “As the presiding officers of the Episcopal Church, we are firmly opposed to ‘bathroom bills’ and particularly reject the idea that women and children are protected by them. As clergy who remember racist Jim Crow bathroom laws that purported to protect white people, we know the kind of hatred and fear that discriminatory laws can perpetuate.”
The American Association of Law Libraries: “The recently-signed bill to allow discrimination against LGBTQ families (HB 3859) and the pending anti-transgender ‘bathroom bill’ expected to be taken up during the Legislature’s special session, directly harm LGBTQ people. We cannot stand by as Texas enacts legislation that discriminates against this vulnerable community.” The group says its upcoming conference in Austin will be its last in Texas unless the state reverses these anti-LGBTQ policies.
Newspapers agree… Dallas Morning News: “For transgender Texans, defeating ‘bathroom bill’ is about saving lives” by Michael A. Lindenberger. “The bathroom bill, which thanks to Abbott and Patrick will likely dominate the special session, is just another kind of the bullying that transgender Texans have had to put up with all their lives. To his credit, Straus saw that early on, and he has listened to testimony about suicide risk and higher-than-average self-harm attempts. He didn’t want to be part of that grim statistic. He didn’t want Texas to be part of it either. Neither should anyone.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Can we just not with the bathroom bill? “If passed, any of the various House and Senate versions would restrict the use of bathrooms by birth-certificate gender in certain buildings. And that could mean problems. IBM has come out against it. So has the NFL. In multiple cities across Texas, tourist bureaus, and business groups have made their opposition known. So why are we still talking about it?” Houston Chronicle: Sunset and Sine Die “There’s a documented pattern of depression and suicide in the transgender community, but no pattern of transgender Texans assaulting folks in restrooms.” Gender Neutral Restroom – Photo by Toby Talbot / AP
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14 tech CEOs, including Apple, Facebook, and Google: “As large employers in the state, we are gravely concerned that any such legislation would deeply tarnish Texas’ reputation as open and friendly to businesses and families. Our ability to attract, recruit and retain top talent, encourage new business relocations, expansions and investment, and maintain our economic competitiveness would all be negatively affected. Discrimination is wrong and it has no place in Texas or anywhere in our country.” South By Southwest (SXSW): “SXSW opposes all discriminatory legislation and
unequivocally supports civil rights for all persons everywhere.” IBM, in full-page ads in Texas papers: “As one of the largest technology employers in Texas, IBM firmly opposes any measure that would harm the state’s LGBT community and make it difficult for businesses to attract and retain talented Texans.” Sports leagues agree... NBA: “We consider a wide range of factors when making decisions about host locations for league-wide events like the All-Star Game – foremost among them is
ensuring the environment where those who participate and attend are treated fairly and equally.” NFL: “The NFL embraces inclusiveness. […] If a proposal that is discriminatory or inconsistent with our values were to become law there, that would certainly be a factor considered when thinking about awarding future events.” For the latest news in Texas and around the world, sign up for HRC’s #AM_Equality daily tipsheet here and follow HRC on Twitter @HRC.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. Courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign
Chechnya: Names of 27 men slaughtered and buried in bloody night revealed as gay purge continues
President Ramzan Kadyrov – Photo courtesy of Pink News
by Benjamin Butterworth Pink News http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/07/11/ chechnya-names-of-27-men-slaughteredand-buried-in-bloody-night-revealed-asgay-purge-continues/ The names of 27 people slaughtered in a single night by Chechen authorities have been published. The secret mass execution is thought to have seen up to 56 people killed – all without trial. Novaya Gazeta, a newspaper based in the region, has published the list of names it claims President Ramzan Kadyrov’s government killed. The executions were all carried out in Chechnya’s capital, Grozny, on the night of 25 January, the newspaper claims. According to the strongly anti-Putin publication, mass arrests and executions in the Muslim region were triggered by the killing of a policeman on 16 December 2016. It reports that the victims were shot without trial, then the bodies were “taken to various cemeteries, including Christian ones, where they were buried in hastily dug graves.” The Russian LGBT Network confirmed that a number of the men killed were gay and bisexual, but some are believed to be heterosexual. “As far as we know, the information in the Novaya Gazeta regarding 27 people being killed is true,” a representative for the group said. “With regards to the sexual orientation of those killed, as far as we know there are homosexual people in this list, but not all of them at all.” The outlet has spent months investigating illegal detentions in the area. The same newspaper broke the story
that the region is rounding up and persecuting gay people earlier this year. Explaining its reasons for publishing the harrowing list of 27 names, the paper wrote: “Two months we had hoped for cooperation at the very beginning [of the investigation] to be effective. “Today it is obvious that the Investigative Committee of Russia is losing ground on this situation… “That is why we publish the list of those who, according to our information, were victims of the worst possible extrajudicial executions in Grozny. “And now the investigation, which has a lack of living of witnesses, will have to deal with the special witnesses. “Because only the dead have nothing to fear in Chechnya.” The Chechen government has denied allegations of a gay purge in the region, despite many victims coming forward to reveal their ordeals. European leaders Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have both raised the issue publicly during meetings with Vladimir Putin, and the UK government has also expressed concerns. Activists in Russia say Chechen authorities have re-started the detaining of gay and bi men following on from a “gay purge” this year. Now, according to Enrique Torre Molina of All Out, Chechens have contacted the Russian LGBT Network hotline to say that arrests are again being made once again. “Nearly 100 days ago, news broke of Chechnya’s anti-gay purge,” said Molina in a statement. “Over 100 men were hunted down, arrested, imprisoned, and tortured by state authorities, because they were believed to be gay. “At least 6 were murdered. Others were returned to their families barely alive, with
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their captors encouraging relatives to carry out honour killings.” “The Russian LGBT Network and All Out call on G20 leaders to demand that President Putin order a full and immediate end to the arrest of gay men in Chechnya. “And that G20 leaders pressure President Putin to conduct a full, independent and impartial inquiry into the abuses that have already taken place.” The ‘concentration camps’ were reportedly set up in February 2017, with gay men being abducted, held prisoner and tortured there. Two camps were initially reported on, based in the villages of Argun and TsotsiYurt, but further investigations revealed a further four jails for gay people, bringing the total number believed to be in the Chechen Republic up to six. One was later destroyed and moved to a new location. These are the 27 men said to have been killed: • Abdulmezhidov Adam Isaevich, born May 27, 1987 • Abumuslimov Apti Hasanovic, born June 2, 1989 • Abdulkerimov Side Ramzan Ramzanovich, born March 25, 1990 • Alimhanov Islam Aliev, born July 6, 1998 • Abubakarov Adam Dzhabrailovich, born May 5, 1995 • Bergan Ismail Shadidovich born August 19, 1998 • Dasaev Adam Ilyasovich, born June 16, 1988 • Dzhabayev Zelimhan Hizirovich, born December 18, 1993
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• Ilyasov Adam Huseynovich, born September 22, 1997 • Lugano Rizwan Saeed-Hamzatovich, born September 13, 1987 • Malikov Rizwan Agdanovich, born January 6, 1990 • Musk ICYE Turpalovich, born July 19, 1988 • Muskhanov Temirlan Ahmadovich, born April 28, 1986 • Ozdiev Usman Vahaevich, born December 24, 1989 • Rashidov Doc Ibrahimovic, born May 30, 1995 • Siriev Magomed Musaevich, born February 23, 1993 • Soltahmanov Ismail Ezer-Aliyev, born March 30, 1994 • Suleymanov Magomed Arbievich, born January 3, 1987 • Tuchaev Ahmed Ramzanovich, born February 23, 1987 • Habu Khamzat Slaudinovich, born February 14, 1993 • Khakimov Alvi Aslambekovich, born November 16, 1992 • Hamidov Shamil Ahmedovich, born November 14, 1986 • Tsikmaev Sultanovich Ayoub, born April 2, 1984 • Shapiev Muslim Isaevich, born November 28, 1989 • Eskarbiev Sayhan Vahamsoltovich, born May 23, 1992 • Yusupov Sahab Marshak, born January 19, 1990 • Yusupov Shamhan Shayhovich, born June 17, 1988 Courtesy of Pink News
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