Celebrating 41 Years! Issue 31 Volume 43
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Seattle Gay News
Suzan DelBene and Marko Liias speak out against “conversion therapy”
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01)
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Mayor Murray announces LGBTQ Task Force action plan at City Hall
Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and State Senator Marko Liias will host a press conference August 3 to raise awareness for the federal Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, which DelBene is cosponsoring. The press conference, which is open to the public, will be Monday, August 3, 10 a.m., at James W. Ray Orion Center, 1828 Yale Avenue, in Seattle. Like legislation Liias has introduced in the Washington state senate, the bill aims to stop so-called “conversion therapy.” Sometimes also called “reparative therapy” or “exGay therapy,” the practice has been likened to brainwashing, or even torture. The practice often involves aversion therapy – making Gay people associate same-sex Seattle Mayor Ed Murray – Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com desire with unpleasant or even painful experiences – or humiliation of Gay patients. “Conversion therapy” is considered by Shaun Knittel March, announced an action plan on Thursharmful by medical, education, social work SGN Associate Editor day, to support a safe, inclusive and welcomand mental health professionals, who say it ing environment for LGBTQ people in SeMayor Ed Murray, along with members attle. increases the likelihood of depression, selfsee Delbene page 12 of the LGBTQ Task Force appointed in see Task force page 4
Boy Scouts of America ends Equality Act picks up ban on Gay scout leaders; business support criticized for religious exemptions
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Scoutmaster Geoffrey McGrath (far left) with supporters including State Senator Jamie Pedersen (far right) in April 2014 – photo by Steph Brusig / The Seattle Lesbian
Less than a week after it was introduced in Congress, the Equality Act has picked long ban on Gay scout leaders. up endorsements from a number of major The organization’s national executive companies. board, meeting in Texas, concluded that The measure would amend existing fedThe governing body of the Boy Scouts of the policy of excluding Gay adults “was eral civil rights statutes to protect sexual America voted Monday to end its decadesby Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
see Boy scouts page 12
orientation and gender identity in the same ways that race is protected. The Equality Act was introduced into the House of Representatives by David Cicilline (D-RI) and in the Senate by Jeff Merkley (DOR), but it is really the creation of the HRC which intended it to replace ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) as the signature piece of federal LGBT rights legissee equality act page 12
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Celebrating 41 Years!
Seattle LGBT Commission recommends LGBTQ community visibility and inclusion of cultural, intersectional diversity in Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Growth Management Plan – Use an intersectional lens of Race, Social, Economic and Gender Equity in addressing planned growth The City of Seattle’s LGBT Commission calls on the public to advocate for inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender children, youth, adults, seniors, and families in the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan for Growth Management. A draft version was released July 8 that includes key strategies that address various categories for growth planning including Housing, Transportation, Arts and Culture, Community Well-Being and Neighborhood Planning among other key elements. The LGBT Commission has submitted recommendations specifically to the Growth and Equity draft, which is being used as a structural analysis to frame the key elements in the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan. “We support the Four Core Values: 1) Race and Social Equity; 2) Environmental Stewardship; 3) Economic Opportunity and Security; and 4) Community that are being used as guiding principles for policies and goal setting of the 2035 plan; however, the analysis offered does not go deep enough in addressing issues and experiences of those living at the intersections of race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and/ or disability.” – Gunner Scott, of the City Planning Task Force of the LGBT Commission The data highlighting Seattle’s relatively young, diverse and well-educated population reveals glaring disparities between ethnic, racial and cultural communities in those same statistical groupings. Primarily, the Commission’s recommendations call for a specific, transparent, representative,
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inclusive consideration for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender children, youth, adults, seniors, people with disabilities and families – establishing all as a unique, culturally-diverse, intersectional complex community. “Racial equity should be the largest lens through which any policies, practices, planning, guidelines, and ordinances are exam-
– Seattle LGBT Commission recommendations for Seattle 2035 Growth and Equity Draft The LGBT Commission is further concerned that the goals and mitigation measures of the Equitable Development Framework, while visionary and broadly comprehensive, may not be sustainable. Cooperation and participation by the public and private sector, while encouraged, cannot be required or easily managed. “Funding for equitable growth seems to be heavily dependent on the strength of the market. At best, programming is underfunded or subjected to funding decreases with funding waning over time. At worst, elements of a highly networked plan could be cut entirely or never implemented due to funding priorities. This directly exposes these proposed growth alternatives to vulnerabilities that contradict the language and intention of equitable growth.” – Marxa Marnia, Cochair, Seattle LGBT Commission
ined. Our City, our children, youth, adults, seniors, and families are as complex as we are diverse and many live at the intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ability, language, and income. Without an analysis that includes the diversity of these intersections, the marginalized populations, including and especially racial/ethnic individuals, are made invisible and further marginalized.”
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The LGBT Commission urges the public to contact the Mayor’s office and the Seattle City Council and ask that these recommendations be implemented. You can provide public comment on the City’s website: http://2035.seattle.gov/ Seattle LGBT Commission Recommendations and Needs for an Inclusive Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan: • Inclusion of an intersectional framesee lgbt commission page 11
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Unions endorse Trans-inclusive health care coverage by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
The Washington State Labor Council (WSLC), an organization representing most of the state’s labor unions, has endorsed Transgender-inclusive healthcare coverage, and promised that unions will bargain for it in future contract negotiations. WSLC delegates passed a resolution titled “Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Health Care Equality” on July 25 at their annual convention. In the resolution, WSLC notes that Trans and gender non-conforming people often “have great difficulty securing affordable, comprehensive health care and their situation is compounded by systematic discrimination and health care providers’ lack of basic cultural competency on transgender issues.” Lack of insurance coverage because of such discrimination “can cause and/or aggravate additional serious and expensive health problems,” the resolution adds. Many Trans people lack health insurance altogether, even after Obamacare was passed, and those that have it often report that their policies exclude medically neces-
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“Seattle has long been a place where everyone can find an accepting and tolerant home,” said Mayor Ed Murray at a news conference at City Hall on Thursday morning. “We celebrate our history of advancing equity for the LGBTQ community and we will support efforts to make Seattle even more inclusive. Thank you to the task force for identifying these actions to reduce the violent attacks and verbal harassment experienced by LGBTQ people.” In the first seven months of this year, there were 41 anti-LGBTQ hate-based crimes or incidents reported to Seattle police – a 46-percent increase over the 28 reported in the first seven months of 2014. While some of those numbers can be attributed to the education that has been done in the LGBTQ community about the need to report the crimes to SPD and the fact that due to cultural competence training and better leadership at the department officers are actually writing police reports correctly by annotating that the victim feels they were attacked because of who they are, the other percentage is a real uptick in bias crimes towards members of our community. The Task Force held a series of meetings between mid-March and the end of June before reporting its recommendations to the mayor at the beginning of July. Murray charged the group with recommending steps to cope with the spike in bias crimes reported in the first half of this year. The Task Force agreed on a series of responses in four areas: Public Safety, LGBTQ Youth, the Built Environment, and Public Understanding. The group emphasized communitybased responses to the problem, and ones the City might not have heard from other constituencies, including asking the City for funding of data collection by community groups. Other highlights from the Task Force report included support systems for at-risk LGBTQ youth.
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sary transition-related procedures. In its resolution, the WSLC committed to three things: • That “the WSLC and affiliated unions remove any and all discriminatory health care exclusions directed toward Transgender employees and the employees’ dependents from its health care policy.” • That “the WSLC advocates for Transgender-inclusive health care for its members and members’ dependents during bargaining with employers.” • That “the WSLC and its affiliated unions publicly support and advocate for legislation supporting equal access to health care for Transgender and gender non-conforming peoples and a ban on any and all discrimination against Transgender and gender non-conforming peoples by health care providers.” The resolution was originally submitted by UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) Local 21, one of the state’s largest and most progressive unions. Veterans of the R-74 campaign for marriage equality will remember that Washington United for Marriage – the pro-equality umbrella group – was housed in UFCW 21’s Georgetown union hall.
Marsha Botzer, founder of Ingersoll Gender Center, attended the convention as a delegate for Pride At Work, the LGBT labor organization. “Thank you for this resolution,” she told the other delegates. “Without health there can be no work, no labor, and no labor movement.” Another important resolution committed WSLC to appoint a special committee to discuss institutionalized racism in the labor movement and come up with recommendations to deal with it. Delegates also passed a resolution titled “Climate and Jobs,” which endorsed the state’s carbon emission reduction goals. Other highlights of the convention included speeches by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Congressman Adam Smith (D-9).
While the Mayor has begun to implement some of the recommendations of the Task Force already, he says he will act on several more including:
tive and opinion, each task force member was committed to achieving our end goal of improving public safety. The Mayor and his team have done a terrific job of bringing all of the voices at the table to develop a plan that is realistic in making a difference. We greatly appreciate their commitment and work.”
• Seattle Police Department will continue the Safe Place program to identify local businesses that will shelter victims of harassment until officers arrive. • The Department of Neighborhoods will use Neighborhood Matching Funds to support projects that promote LGBTQ safety. • The City will direct more resources to support Project EQTY and other social service providers that work with LGBT youth. • The Human Services Department will improve rapid re-housing and access to hotel vouchers for Transgender homeless youth who experience a disproportionately high risk of violence. • Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities and the Department of Transportation will address dark alleys and other physical environments on Capitol Hill that provide cover for criminals. • Install additional rainbow crosswalks near the new Capitol Hill light rail station. • Adopt a new City ordinance to require that single-person restrooms in public accommodations and city facilities be signed for all genders. • The Seattle Office for Civil Rights will launch a public campaign to educate all Seattle residents about the concerns and rights of their LGBTQ neighbors The full LGBTQ Task Force report can be found on the mayor’s website: http://murray.seattle.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2015/07/Mayors-Action-PlanLGBTQ-Task-Force.pdf . “We want to thank Mayor Ed Murray for bringing together a broad cross-section of LGBTQ community leaders to address these important issues,” said Monisha Harrell, Co-Chair of the LGBTQ Task Force and Chair of Equal Rights Washington. “Although diverse in experience, perspec-
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MY REFLECTIONS ON THE LGBTQ TASK FORCE & THE MAYOR’S RESPONSE The task force was made up of quite a few people; it seemed to some of us who were asked to be a part of it that we might never come to any conclusions, as it was obvious that so many issues still plague the LGBTQ community. While Harrell and her counterpart Josh Castle had the impossible job of trying to keep things focused and moving along during the meetings, which all took place at City Hall, Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim certainly did a wonderful job facilitating the final two meetings in which the recommendations were formed. Initially, there was a lot of discussion about whether or not the task force should discuss other areas of the city or just Capitol Hill. While Capitol Hill is considered the LGBTQ neighborhood of the city (because of historical and cultural reasons), it was decided that we would address crime on Capitol Hill (where most violence towards LGBTQ people is concentrated) and in so doing, the best practices and the things that benefit the neighborhood can then be used in other areas of the city. The Transgender community – especially homeless youth who are Transgender or other-gender identified – got a particularly heightened amount of attention from the task force as it is well known that they are at a heightened risk of attack, homelessness, and more. It is important to protect the most vulnerable among our community if we are going to say that we are in fact a community at all. My personal feelings on how everything went are simply that crime, as it applies to the LGBTQ community at large, is an im-
Constantine recalled that the city of SeaTac, the site of the convention, was also the first city in the country to pass a $15 per hour minimum wage law. Smith, who represents a district that stretches from Madison Street south to Federal Way and east to Bellevue, got a hero’s welcome because he voted against fast track authority for the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) trade deal, a measure unions oppose. portant thing to look at. It needs even more attention I believe. The fact of the matter is Capitol Hill is unsafe at night, there are not enough police and resources for the police to do their job effectively, and more education needs to be done within the community to change the culture of thinking that the police are specifically against members of the LGBTQ community. Historically, that might have been the case. It certainly is not anymore. The department now has more out police officers than at any other time in its history. That is a big reason for the shift in attitude; plus SPD Chief Kathleen O’Toole is not bigoted in any sense of the word. Mayor Murray is taking the issue of antiLGBTQ hate crimes very seriously. I do believe that he is approaching fixing the problem in the right way because he not only called the task force into existence, but he is listening to people’s recommendations. It is important to note that although he is, himself, a Gay man, and he started out as an activist in the 1990s on Capitol Hill, he obviously can’t know all about everything that goes on within the community and on Capitol Hill. It is a smart decision, and certainly a good show of leadership, that he knows enough to convene groups of people that deal directly with this issue and then weigh their advice against his own thoughts and opinions and then come up with a plan. Lastly, it is important to note that there is not any one group of people, anywhere on the earth that enjoys 100% safety from themselves or others. There will sadly, always be crime as long as there are humans. It’s a fact of life. But does that mean we stop trying to get to that higher thinking that we believe violence does not belong in our society. No, it does not. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and those not even born yet, a safer tomorrow. Our neighborhood belongs to us, not crime.
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Obama unveils new HIV/AIDS strategy Updates 10-year plan to 2020 by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer President Obama unveiled the latest version of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy at a July 30 event at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. The plan is an updated version of the strategy President Obama first announced in 2010. The new version emphasized the goal of viral suppression for HIV-positive people and access to PrEP therapy for people who wish to remain HIV-negative. “Our work is far from finished. One in eight people with HIV still go undiagnosed,” the President said in a pre-recorded speech. “Only three in 10 people with HIV have suppressed the virus in their system, lowering it to an undetectable level.
“And this disease still affects different ages, races, sexual orientations, and even different regions of the country in disproportionate ways. “That’s why this is the first administration to release a comprehensive strategy on HIV/AIDS, and that’s why we are updating it for the rest of this decade. “It seizes on the rapid shifts in science and policy as we’ve learned more about this disease.” The top priorities through 2020 include: • Widespread HIV testing and linkage to care, enabling people living with HIV to access treatment early. • Broad support for people living with HIV to remain engaged in comprehensive care, including support for treatment adherence.
• Universal viral suppression among people living with HIV, since it benefits their health and reduces transmission of the virus to others. • Full access to comprehensive preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services for those where it is appropriate and desired, with support for medication adherence for those using PrEP. “The revisions to this critical national strategy come at a crucial time in the fight to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic,” David Stacy of the Human Rights Campaign added. “While HIV affects Americans from all walks of life, gay and bisexual men, transgender women, youth, and communities of color are disproportionately affected, particularly in the South.
“Achieving an AIDS-free generation is within our grasp, and Congress must ensure the Obama Administration has the vital resources it needs to meet the strategy’s achievable goals. The event opened with a panel discussion featuring U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher. Also on the panel were Douglas Brooks, Director of the White House Office on AIDS Policy, and Ronald Valdiserri, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Infectious Diseases, and Director, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Marriage equality in Northern Ireland inevitable, Sinn Fein leader says by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Marriage equality is inevitable in Northern Ireland Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said at an LGBT event July 27. Northern Ireland is the last piece of the United Kingdom to resist same-sex marriage. It is internally self-governing and its parliament has defeated marriage bills seven times, most recently in April. Sinn Fein is a left-wing nationalist party in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic to the south. It represents the minority in Northern Ireland who want to leave the UK and become part of the Irish Republic. Adams made the remarks at a Pride Talks Back event in Belfast. Although Sinn Fein is associated with Northern Ireland’s Catholic community, it has endorsed LGBT rights including marriage and the party campaigned vigorously for the successful marriage referendum in the Irish Republic.
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Adams was reluctant to call for a similar vote in the North, however. “I’m not so sure about a referendum, and certainly very few people tonight favored a referendum,” he said. “But we need to use all the tools, and what won the referendum in the [Republic of Ireland] was ordinary people, mammies and daddies and grannies, uncles and aunts and brothers and sisters, saying ‘I have a family member who is gay.’ “We all know people who are gay in our own families and our own political parties and our own communities and work … I was heavily involved in that campaign. It was the most cheerful, hopeful, inoffensive campaign you could have ever have been involved in and the outcome was joyous.” Under the terms of the Good Friday Accords which ended the civil war in Northern Ireland, the Catholic and Protestant communities get veto power over proposed legislation, so that no one feels their rivals are imposing laws on them. Although Sinn
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Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams – www.rte.ie
Fein has supported same-sex marriage bills, they have been vetoed by the Unionist – or pro-British – parties. Sinn Fein’s policy statement on LGBT rights says that “lesbian, gay and bisexual people suffer from discrimination and harassment in every aspect of their daily lives.
“Whether in the social, political, economic or cultural spheres, they are denied equality of rights and opportunities. There is no logical or rational defense for such exclusion. Only ignorance and indifference enable such a denial of basic fundamental rights to continue.”
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Celebrating 41 Years!
IN MEMORIAM – Robert Leon Mitchell Robert Leon Mitchell October 12, 1950 - June 12, 2015 Robert Leon Mitchell passed away peacefully at his home in Portland, Oregon at the age of 64. He was born in Salina, Kansas to Earl Fugate Mitchell and Betty Louise Cole. As a youth he moved to the Holdenville, Oklahoma area and later studied business in Kingsville, Texas. As a teenager he went West where much of his family established homes around Olympia, Washington. Bob had a long career as a Recruiting Special-
ist for multiple organizations, and lived in multiple cities. In these latter years he had decided to pursue education and training as an Alcohol and other Drug Counselor. He is survived by his partner of eight years, Paul, one son Chris, four sisters Barbara, Dee, Kathy and Belinda; three brothers, Roger, Jimmy, and Dan; one granddaughter, Midea, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and younger sister Tina. A memorial service open to the public is being held at the United Churches of Olympia (110 11th Ave. SE, Olympia) on August
8, 2015 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers donations can be made at https://www.youcaring.com/BobMitchell – the beneficiary will be Seattle Counseling Service. For those who cannot attend, but wish to, his partner would enjoy providing you with a parting gift. Please email your address to him at pmollard101@gmail.com.
IN MEMORIAM – John Nyquist
John Nyquist, on left, at original monastery in Montlake District, Seattle, 1976
Bigger-than-life, Seattle Lifelong and Chicken Soup Brigade food bank volunteer, John Nyquist, passed away on July 23, 2015, in Seattle due to complications from chronic lung disease. He was 64. Growing up in Froid, he was “just a hay-
seed blowing in from Montana” when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam-era. He served as a medic at Fort Benning, GA, and after discharge joined the Peace Corps, serving in Nepal, where he was introduced to the dharma of Tibetan
LGBT Commission
• 12% of same-sex couples were raising children in King County and among those raising children, 28% of householders in same-sex couples are non-White compared to 24% of householders in different-sex married couples. • 20.6% of same-sex couples – more than one in five are interracial or interethnic compared to 18.3% of different-sex unmarried couples and just 9.5% of differentsex unmarried couples. These numbers indicate a notable percentage of households are LGBT and as such would be impacted especially in areas of housing, economic disparity, transportation, communities of color, and neighborhood planning. Specifically, LGBT people of color and Transgender individuals overall are disproportionately adversely affected in many of these key elements:
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work to effectively address Social Equity in addition to a Racial Equity lens listed in the Core Values. • Explicit inclusion of language, data, and strategies, of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, languages, disability, and income in the framework and analysis for growth and equity in the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan. • Recommendations and subsequent adoption of policies, practices, and strategies that use an intersectional framework highlighting specific impacts and outcomes for LGBT children, youth, adults, seniors, people with disabilities and families. Seattle Demographics Seattle is the proud home to one of the largest concentrations of LGBTQ residents in the United States: • Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) ranks Seattle as #5 in the top five of cities with adults who identify as LGBT at 4.8% of the city’s population (approximately 31,000 residents – roughly the population size of Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.)
Additional Studies Data from the American Community Survey (ACS) by the Williams Institute found that: • “Racial/ethnic minority individuals in same-sex couples tend to live in areas where there are higher proportions of individuals of their own race or ethnicity.”
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Buddhism. A world traveler and self-proclaimed “Dalai-follower,” Nyquist was in the Dalai Lama’s entourage whenever His Holiness visited Seattle. Nyquist was a caregiver to Seattle’s Dezhung Rimpoche in Kathmandu, before his passing, a period which is obliquely portrayed in the film, The Little Buddha, with Bridget Fonda. He is mentioned in David P. Jackson’s biography of Dezhung Rimpoche, A Saint in Seattle. While in India, Nyquist also met Mother Theresa. “She accepted you for who you are,” he said. Transferring from Gonzaga University, he earned a degree in Tibetan Studies from the U of W, followed by a Nursing degree. Besides working as a licensed personal trainer, Nyquist also passed certification in “Hakomi” for psychological and addiction counseling working with homeless veterans. Hakomi, which is about “ relationships and reactions to them,” is a unique approach combining Navajo teachings facilitated by the Rimpoche. All this informed his plethora of counseling he offered at the onset of the AIDS crisis.
We can also thank Nyquist for winning a case in the Canadian Supreme Court which ruled that “accidents and traffic cases originating in Canada must be tried in Canada,” thereby precluding coverage by U.S. insurance companies. And we can thank him for the many signs now at the Seattle VA regarding seeking therapy for “sexual abuse.” Among his many quotes is that “the tragedy is not death, but that one didn’t get to live.” He was a “high consciousness” and a strong beacon of light and truth. We will all miss his mentorship, fierce intellect, humor, open-mindedness, and for his advocacy of healthy mental attitudes, especially in the gay community. He is survived by two sisters, Mary Alyce Nyquist and Margaret Moore, and two brothers, Tom Nyquist and Paul Patera. A memorial celebration and potluck will be held the first weekend in September at Sakya Monastery, Seattle. Donations in his name or more information may be obtained at (206) 789-2573 or by visiting www.sakya. org.
• “African-American individuals in same-sex couples report lower median incomes than African-Americans in different-sex couples.”
City’s website http://2035.seattle.gov/ before September 30, 2015.
The 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey reported: • “Transgender people of color in general fare worse than white participants across the board, with African American Transgender respondents faring worse than all others in many areas examined.” • “Transgender adults reported various forms of direct housing discrimination – 19% reported having been refused a home or apartment and 11% reported being evicted because of their gender identity/expression.” • “Transgender adults reported less than half the national rate of homeownership: 32% reported owning their home compared to 67% of the general population.” The LGBT Commission urges the public to echo and support these recommendations by contacting the Mayor’s office and Seattle City Council and requesting these recommendations be implemented. In addition, provide public comment on the
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To download the full recommendations go to the following address: http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/ Departments/SeattleLGBTCommission/ documents/SLGBTC_Recs-Seattle2035GrowthEquity.pdf Seattle LGBT Commission is a voluntary commission of 15 commissioners with 7 appointed by the City Council and 7 from the Mayor’s Office with the addition of an at-large commission-appointed position and one “Get Engaged” member. MISSION: The Commission’s role is to effectively address and present the concerns of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender citizens of Seattle to the Mayor, City Council, and all City Departments through recommendation of legislation, policy, programs, and budget items. For more information visit http://www.seattle.gov/lgbt Courtesy of the Seattle LGBT Commission
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continued from cover harm, and suicide, particularly in minors. The federal measure defines “conversion therapy” as “any practices or treatments by any person that seek to change another individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender…”
Any such treatments are defined as criminal fraud, but therapy designed to “provide assistance to an individual undergoing a gender transition,” or therapy meant to promote acceptance of the patient’s sexual orientation are specifically excluded. The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act was introduced on May 19 by California Congressman Ted Lieu. Besides DelBene, the 36 cosponsors include Seattle-area Congressman Jim McDermott, who is a psychiatrist, civil rights icon Congress-
man John Lewis, and Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. “Americans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender don’t need a ‘cure,’ they need equality under the law,” DelBene said in a statement when the measure was introduced. “This legislation is an important step toward protecting the LGBT community and their families from the fraudulent promises of conversion.” The bill is not expected even to get a hearing in the Republican-controlled House, but DelBene’s office says she hopes
to raise public awareness of the damage that can be done by “conversion therapy.” Daniel Cords, a victim of “conversion therapy” as a young man, will be at the August 3 event to describe his experiences. He calls the experience harmful and ineffective and says it caused severe depression. Also on hand will be Jody Waits, YouthCare’s Director of Development and Communications.
California officials to investigate foreign porn industry spending in condom referendum by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) will be opening an investigation into foreign money used by the porn industry to fight Measure B, the referendum that required porn actors to use condoms in films produced in Los Angeles County. The FPPC confirmed it launched the investigation in a July 17 letter published by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the main backer of Measure B. The initial complaint to the FPPC was filed several weeks ago by individuals affiliated with AHF and the Yes on Measure B campaign. In their complaint, they charge that Manwin – now called MindGeek – a porn company based in Luxembourg, and a Cyprus-based affiliate contributed more than half the money used by the No on Measure B campaign. Accepting foreign donations is a violation of U.S. campaign financing laws, and the complaint names the Free Speech Coalition – a porn industry group – and their
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no longer legally defensible.” Currently, roughly half the states have laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and almost 150 local governments have adopted similar provisions. The decision was approved by 79 percent of the board. However, although the national ban is gone, effective immediately, local scouting units retain the ability to reject Gay applicants for leadership positions if hiring them would violate the unit’s religious beliefs. The Boy Scouts national organization said it would defend any local scouting group’s “good faith refusal” to admit a scouting leader based upon the group’s religious principles. Roughly 70 percent of local scouting units are sponsored by religious organizations. But some churches have been openly critical of the ban on Gay scout leaders. “For far too long this issue has divided and distracted us,” former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Scouting’s current president, said in a statement. “Now it’s time to unite behind our shared belief in the extraordinary power of Scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its youth members.” In May, Gates told Boy Scouts of Ameri-
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spokesperson Diane Duke, who was also treasurer of the No on B campaign, along with Manwin as the guilty parties. Measure B was introduced as a public health and workplace safety measure in 2012 after several porn actors had tested positive for HIV in the previous year. The legislation passed by a decisive 57% to 43% margin in the November 2012 election in Los Angeles County. AHF President Michael Weinstein hailed the FPPC investigation. “This investigation by California’s Fair Political Practices Commission of foreign money directed to 2012’s ‘No on B’ campaign is yet another confirmation of the complete lack of credibility that the porn industry has,” Weinstein said in a statement. “The industry, its trade group, the Free Speech Coalition and FSC head Diane Duke, are basically cheaters – cheating on performer safety for years as well as what clearly appears to be taking foreign money for their failed political campaign against the condom ballot measure. “Keeping foreign money out of U.S. elections should be an extremely high principle.
ca that it must brace for change, saying “We must deal with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be. The status quo in our movement’s membership standards cannot be sustained.” Geoff McGrath, a former official Boy Scout leader in Seattle whose membership was revoked a year ago last April because he is openly Gay, called the new policy “atrocious.” “It’s a new discriminatory policy,” he told NBC News. “It’s not a new non-discriminatory policy.” McGrath says he received a phone call last year in which the caller, whom he did not recognize as knowing, asked if he was open about being homosexual. Shortly after, he says, a letter arrived in the mail that revoked the membership of his unit, which is part of the private non-profit Chief Seattle Council. In an interview with NBC News, the Council’s scout executive, Mike Quirk, said that McGrath is now welcome to reapply. “His sexuality would not have an impact,” he said. On July 27, the ACLU of Washington sent a letter to the Boy Scouts of America on behalf of McGrath requesting his reinstatement and that his troop, Troop 98 in Seattle’s Rainier Beach, be officially recognized by the organization again.
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California’s FPPC will be investigating foreign money to fight Measure B, the referendum requiring porn actors to use condoms – www.fastcoexist.com
We were fortunate that L.A. County voters had the good sense to vote ‘Yes’ on Measure B, but under different circumstances, foreign money could tip the balance in a close U.S. election. Do we really want Saudis weighing in on oil policy via a U.S. election? From a cursory look at the required political financial disclosure forms from 2012, we believe that Luxembourg-based
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lation. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) ruled in 2012 that gender identity is protected under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the agency said on July 15 that sexual orientation is also protected under Title VII. Supporters of the Equality Act point out, however, that EEOC rulings do not have the force of federal law, and do not have to be upheld by federal courts. Apple, The Dow Chemical Company, and Levi Strauss announced support for the bill shortly after it was introduced. The HRC announced five more big corporate backers on July 28: • American Airlines said: “We at American Airlines are proud of our long history of supporting LGBT equality. Now is the time for full equality for the LGBT community in the United States. Ensuring fairness in our workplaces and communities is both the right thing to do and simply good business.” • Facebook said: “We are open and vocal supporters of equality. Ensuring fairness in
Manwin (now MindGeek) and its other overseas entities donated at least half of all monies raised for the porn industry’s failed campaign to block Measure B. We thank the FPPC for opening this investigation.” AHF describes itself as “the largest global AIDS organization,” with a presence in 36 countries, and more than 437,000 patients.
the workplace is a fundamental principle at Facebook and we support legal protections for LGBT Americans as outlined in the Equality Act.” • General Mills said: “At General Mills we have a long history of supporting LGBT equality and the time has come in this country for full, federal equality for the LGBT community. Ensuring fairness in our workplaces and communities is both the right thing to do and simply good business.” • Google said: “Diverse perspectives, ideas, and cultures lead to the creation of better products and services and ideas. And it’s the right thing to do. That’s why we support protections for LGBT individuals as outlined in the Equality Act.” • Nike said: “At NIKE, we are committed to diversity and inclusion, and we strive to treat our employees equally. We believe that diversity drives innovation and allows us to attract and retain world-class talent. We need fair and equitable laws that prevent discrimination, and NIKE supports the Equality Act introduced by Senator Merkley and his colleagues in Congress. This is another important step in the fight for equality.”
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14 Seattle Gay News
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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July 31, 2015
Celebrating 41 Years!