Issue 27 Volume 39
Celebrating 38 Years!
FRIDAY July 8, 2011 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands
Pakistan pride p. 16 COURT HALTS DADT p. 20 JOHN & RAINBOW p. 25
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
DOJ says DOMA Friedes: Marriage equality unconstitutional, in WA achievable in 2012 motivated by bias by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
see DOMA page 19
see gay marriage page 20
william creswell
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief in federal court on July 1, arguing that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional because it was “was motivated in large part by animus toward Gay and Lesbian individu-
als and their intimate relationships.” The DOJ brief presented a detailed account of the history of discrimination by government institutions against Lesbians and Gay men. It also provided evidence that the passage of DOMA in 1996 was
Josh Friedes is synonymous with LGBT equality. It’s what he knows. It’s what he is good at. Friedes has served in a number of roles with Equal Rights Washington (ERW), the state’s leading LGBT advocacy organization, since he arrived from Mass Equality and the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts a few years ago. For two years, he served as ERW’s advocacy director, was the campaign manager of Washington Families Standing Together (the coalition behind the successful Approve Washington Referendum 71 campaign), and in March of 2010, Friedes was promoted to head up ERW in the role of executive director. At ERW, Friedes led its advocacy through five consecutive successful legislative sessions that, among other things, brought anti-bullying legislation, protected Transgender people under our hate-crimes statute, and three successive domestic partnership bills.
Seattle’s Westin Hotel
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Chanting “Union power!” and “Corporate greed has got to go!” more than 100 workers from Seattle-area hotels gathered in front of the Westin hotel on July 7 to call for livable wages, job security, and respect on the job. This summer, contracts covering more than 1,400 hotel and restaurant workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 8 expire and will need to be renegotiated. The Westin Hotel was previously the scene of one of Local 8’s biggest contract victories. In their last contract negotiation with Westin management in 2006 and 2007, UNITE HERE secured the first hotel contract in the country to explicitly protect Transgender workers from discrimination in the workplace. Enhanced anti-discrimination protections are also at issue in this round of contract negotiations, union organizers said. Characterizing negotiations as “painfully tedious and unneces-
The Associated Press/Ted S. Warren
Joe Mabel
LGBT protections an issue in Kalebu found guilty negotiations at Westin Hotel in South Park rape Workers picket in show of strength and murder
Isaiah Kalebu is taken in a wheeled restraint chair through a hallway at the King County Courthouse on May 12, 2011.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
On July 1, a King County jury convicted Isaiah Kalebu of aggravated first-degree murder. The South Park murderer and rapist will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, putting an end to a haunting chapter in Seattle – and LGBT see westin page 21 – criminal history.
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On July 19, 2009, Kalebu, 25, savagely raped and attacked 39-year-old South Park resident Teresa Butz and her fiancée for more than 90 minutes before he killed Butz and nearly killed the other woman. When the verdict was handed down, the surviving victim quietly cried in the front row of the Seattle see kalebu page 20
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Celebrating 38 Years!
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RI governor signs civil unions bill, some unhappy ap photo
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Nick Ardizzone, Nate Gowdy, Joseph P. Herron, Shaun Knittel National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Website Designer Barry Thorsness/digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published weekly by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2011, Frogs and Ink, Inc., all rights reserved. Reprints by permission. Publication of names, photographs or likenesses of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your subscription or ad. However, credit towards any size ad will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed his state’s new civil unions bill into law on July 1, but nobody celebrated. LGBT rights organizations had urged him to veto the bill, because it contained language allowing religious organizations – including service providers like hospitals
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– to refuse to recognize legal same-sex civil unions. Also unhappy were that state’s Roman Catholic bishop and his allies in NOM (the National Organization for Marriage), who had pulled out all the stops in a failed effort to defeat the bill. While Chafee acknowledged “reservations” because of the “unparalleled and alarming scope” of the so-called “religious
exemptions” the bill contains, he nevertheless called it “a step forward.” “[The bill] brings tangible rights and benefits to thousands of Rhode Islanders. It also provides a foundation from which we will continue to fight for full marriage equality,” he said at the signing. The new law includes a section that says no religious organization – including hospitals, cemeteries, schools, and community centers – or its employees may be required to recognize a same-sex civil union. As a result, LGBT activists said, a partner in a civil union could be denied the right to make medical decisions for his or her partner, access to health insurance benefits, property rights in adjoining burial plots, or family memberships at some community centers. Consequently, a number of LGBT organizations, including Marriage Equality Rhode Island, Freedom to Marry, and HRC, urged Chafee to veto it. Taking no action at all, they said, is better than enacting legislation that enshrines second-class status for same-sex couples. Lesbian Rhode Island Senator Donna Nesselbush said she voted against the civil union bill because it failed to deliver equal rights for same-sex couples. “From a conscience point of view, I couldn’t press the green button and vote for that,” she said. “We can’t confuse rights with equality.” Even Gov. Chafee admitted, “This extraordinary exemption eviscerates the important rights that enacting a civil union law was meant to guarantee for same sex couples in the first place.” Meanwhile, Thomas Tobin, Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence and an outspoken opponent of same-sex civil unions, forbade Catholics to have anything to do with them. “Because civil unions promote an unacceptable lifestyle, undermine the faith of the Church on holy matrimony, and cause scandal and confusion, Catholics may not participate in civil unions,” he warned. “To do so is a very grave violation of the moral law and, thus, seriously sinful. A civil union can never be accepted as a legitimate alternative to matrimony.” NOM said the bill does not go far enough in protecting the religious values of businesses and individuals. Four New England states – Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut – now authorize same-sex marriage. With Gov. Chafee’s signature, Rhode Island permits same-sex civil unions. Maine legalized same-sex marriage in May 2009, but the law was overturned in a referendum the following November. Maine does allow same-sex domestic partnerships. Same-sex marriage is also legal in Iowa, the District of Columbia, and New York.
Celebrating 38 Years!
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Prominent Gay and Lesbian elected officials are scheduled to host a fundraiser to support Bob Ferguson’s campaign for attorney general on July 14 at Nyhus Communications (720 3rd Ave., 12th floor) in downtown Seattle from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The host committee includes King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, State Senator Ed Murray, State Representatives Jamie Pedersen and Marko Liias, Shoreline Mayor Keith McGlashan, Seattle City Councilmembers Sally Clark and Tom Rasmussen, and Port Commissioner Rob Holland, as well as other LGBT community leaders including Tibor Horvath, George Cheung, Rod Hearne, Roger Nyhus, Andrew Kamins, Tim Bradbury, Andy Sachs, and Mona Smith. According to the Ferguson campaign, all are welcome to attend. Ferguson announced his candidacy for Washington state attorney general in midFebruary. His campaign has won the endorsement of elected officials, labor organizations, environmental advocates,
prominent attorneys, and civic leaders from around the state. As the only Democrat in the race, Ferguson will likely face Republican opponent Reagan Dunn in the November 2012 election. According to Ferguson, his campaign will offer a contrast on LGBT issues. Throughout his career, he has consistently embraced LGBT rights and is a strong proponent of marriage equality. Ferguson is an advocate for equal employment benefits and has supported legislation requiring all companies that contract with King County to provide equal benefits to their employees. Ferguson also backed civil rights legislation that expanded equality protections to include gender identity (Dunn voted against this law). “Bob shares our values of progressive and inclusive government. While I now serve with Bob on the County Council, I’ve known him for over 20 years and know he is the right candidate to protect our most vulnerable citizens, consumers, and the environment,” said McDermott. “In the race for attorney general, there is only one candidate who our community can
courtesy of Friends of Bob Ferguson for Attorney General
Gay and Lesbian elected officials host fundraiser to support Bob Ferguson for AG
Bob Ferguson
look to for leadership and has a proven re- the AG’s office,” said Clark. cord of standing up for LGBT people. Bob More information about the event and understands our community and will work Bob Ferguson’s campaign can be found at to ensure our shared values are applied in www.electbobferguson.com. Note #10: Immediately behind us was a small contingent of sex workers. That meant that anybody pondering our signs, our handouts, and our message didn’t stay focused on us for long. Next year I want to be followed by Bap-
tists. Leslie Robinson has marched on both coasts. Email her at lesarobinson@gmail. com, and visit her blog at www.generalgayety.com to answer the question of the week.
Seattle Pride notes by Leslie Robinson SGN Contributing Writer I had a peachy time marching in Seattle’s Pride parade. My partner Anne and I, members of a Unitarian Universalist church in Seattle, marched with a host of Unitarians representing churches from all over Puget Sound. Now it behooves me to make a few notes about this year’s experience, just to ensure next year things go downright seamlessly. Note #1: Our church had a stellar turnout because we began recruiting early. We must repeat this next time. We should start signing people up … next week. Note #2: I was one of the organizers of our contingent, but I got sick and couldn’t help for a couple of weeks. The others carried on beautifully without me. The takeaway is next year I will again surround myself with over-achievers. Note #3: Things work best when individuals are doing the jobs they prefer. I’m suited to firing off reminder e-mails. Had I been tasked with designing the temporary tattoos we handed out, they would’ve looked just like the work of Georgia O’Keeffe – when she was an infant. Note #4: Unitarians try to do right by the earth, so it was wise to send everybody information on how to get to Pride by bus. It was also wise not to ask who actually took the bus. That’s the Unitarian version of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Note #5: Gathering 80 Unitarians for a group photo before the parade began was surprisingly easy. Nobody questioned the backdrop. Nobody lobbied for a different camera. Nobody suggested we form a photo committee. I suspect this was because we’d all been standing in the sun for a substantial period. So next year we’ll make sure Unitarian con-
trariness gets baked right out of people before we ask them to pose. Or do anything at all. Note #6: This wasn’t the first time I’ve waited well over an hour after the parade’s start for my portion of it to begin. Adrenaline and socializing can keep you going a long while, but there’s frequently a lull before you actually step out. Need to come up with something to fill the time. Perhaps poker with PFLAG. Or we could challenge the Methodists to dodgeball. Note #7: I felt dandy marching when I held the church banner with one hand and Anne’s hand with the other. But when my hands were empty, I remembered I’m not one for waving at the crowd. Unitarians tend to be introverts. I guess I better organize a class at church this winter. It should be taught by the drag queen who served as a parade emcee and announced when we passed that she considered herself a Unitarian. She could teach us loads about overcoming shyness … and periodic gender-switching. Note #8: Anne doesn’t suffer from parade reservedness. She waved and waved, and when she had to retire to one of our VW Bugs due to a bad knee, she waved like royalty. Must look into a horse and carriage for next year. That would be eco-friendly, wouldn’t it? Note #9: I have wussy forearms. That church banner I carried was lightweight, and I carried it with someone else, and yet two-thirds of the way through the parade I felt like I was carrying a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence. Clearly I must exercise those forearm muscles. Maybe this winter I’ll practice, march up and down the sidewalk outside the church carrying the banner. Scare the Lutherans nearby.
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KING-5 IGNORES PRIDE, MAN FIGHTS TO FIND OUT WHY Congratulations, SGN Editor-in-Chief George Bakan, on being the Grand Marshal in this year’s Gay Pride Parade! It was an absolutely perfect day weather-wise, as it was warm as well as bright and sunny, which is sometimes rare here in Seattle. So obviously God/Mother Nature must love her Gay children! There must have been thousands and thousands of people lining both sides of 4th Avenue along the parade route to watch the biggest and longest parade held annually here in Seattle, if not the whole Pacific Northwest! It was a very exciting day for me, too, as a young man who was alone asked me if I would mind if he walked with me up to the Seattle Center where the parade ended. Of course I didn’t mind having a nice young man, 30 years my junior, walking along with me. We had stimulating conversation which ranged from politics to healthy eating and living. And once we arrived at the PrideFest at the Center, he took my picture standing next to Mr. Healthy Penis from the Gay City Health Project. I thought “How appropriate,” for he didn’t even know who I was or all of my interests! When I came home, I turned on the television to watch the national news from 6-6:30 on KING-5 TV, as I do every evening while making and eating dinner. Their lead story was the New York City Gay Pride Parade, and same-sex marriage becoming legal in New York state. Then I watched the local news on KING-5 TV from 6:30-7. I was very surprised, disappointed, and let down, since KING-5 had absolutely no mention whatsoever about the Seattle Gay Pride Parade and celebration for equality.
July 8, 2011
And this is the television station that advertises itself as “#1 in western Washington” with “Coverage you can count on.” Well, folks, actions speak louder than words! I called Channel 5 KING TV on Monday morning and asked to speak to the news director. I was transferred to the office of a Mark Ginther, who was unavailable, so I left a message on his voice mail. I left my name and telephone number clearly and distinctly as requested. I politely informed him that KING-5 had been my favorite TV station for the past 30 years, since moving to Seattle. I also informed him exactly how I felt about the omission of the biggest and longest parade for the past 38 years in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest for equality, and asked what the reason was for not including the big event on the evening news. There seemed to have been plenty of time, as the weather report was given twice, and there were a couple of other uninteresting fluff items. And I asked whether homophobia at KING-5 might be the cause. Consequently, when I came home in the afternoon, I found a message on my phone from the rapidly speaking (perhaps nervous) Mark Ginther, who said he “really appreciated” my call and assured me that it was an oversight and that he spoke to the producer and manager as to why they made that mistake. There was no apology, per se, nor did I find out the cause of the oversight, so I can have only my suspicions. Although this 77-year-old does not have the time or energy to picket or boycott KING-5 Studios on Dexter Avenue North, I certainly can and will avoid purchasing products of their advertisers, who ultimately pay their salaries! John Mark
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy signed legislation on July 5 barring discrimination based on gender identity or expression. The new law covers employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, and all other areas under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. HB-6599, titled “An Act Concerning Discrimination,” passed the Connecticut House of Representatives after a five-hour debate on May 19, and passed the Connecticut Senate on June 4. Every single Republican in both legislative chambers voted against the bill. Even Republicans who had voted for a similar bill two years ago switched sides to vote No. Two Senate Democrats also voted No. The bill is the first civil rights legislation to pass in Connecticut in several decades without Republican votes. Passage of a Gay rights bill 20 years ago, and same-sex civil unions and marriage bills more recently, all had support from some GOP legislators. With the governor’s signature, Connecticut becomes the 15th state with clear statewide legal protections for Transgender residents. During the debate on the bill, Sen. Ed-
ward Meyer recalled his boyhood friend and fellow tennis player Richard Raskind, who became the celebrated Trans woman tennis player Renee Richards. Meyer said the change was “totally genuine.” “She is a woman,” he added. “To send Renee Richards into a men’s bathroom, that would be very dangerous, because Renee is a woman,” Meyer said. “To send Renee to male sleeping arrangements would be very dangerous, very inappropriate, because Renee Richards is a woman.” LGBT rights organizations lobbied hard to pass the bill and celebrated the signing. “GLAD was proud to be part of the coalition that worked to pass Connecticut’s transgender non-discrimination bill, and we are thrilled that Governor Malloy signed the bill into law on Tuesday,” said Jennifer Levi, director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders’ Transgender Rights Project. “Congratulations to the state of Connecticut for recognizing the dignity and worth of its Transgender residents and acting to ensure that they will have fair and equal opportunities to earn a living, find a safe and comfortable place to live, and enjoy public spaces without fear of being discriminated against simply because of who they are.”
California Assembly passes landmark LGBT education bill by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
California’s state Assembly passed a landmark LGBT education bill on July 5. The Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act adds sexual orientation and gender identity to California’s existing laws barring discrimination in school activities and instruction materials, and requires state schools to include LGBT history in their curriculum. The vote was 49-25. California’s Senate passed the measure in April, and it now goes to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature. He is expected to sign the bill, which he supported. The bill was introduced by Democratic Senator Mark Leno, of San Francisco. “We are selectively censoring history when we exclude LGBT Americans, or any other group of people, from our textbooks and instructional materials,” Leno said. “We can’t tell our youth that it’s OK to be yourself and expect them to treat their peers with dignity and respect when we deliberately deny them accurate information about the historical contributions of Americans who happened to be LGBT.” A 16-year-old student interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle said that inclusion of LGBT history in her school curriculum would help her to feel part of national life. “I would feel that then I was included in the history of America, that I wasn’t being blocked out on purpose,” she said. The legislation was supported by the GayStraight Alliance Network, which works to promote safe schools for LGBT youth, and Equality California, the state’s leading LGBT organization. Both groups celebrated the victory. “This is a victory not only for the LGBT youth in California who have been fighting
to be heard in Sacramento and represented in their history classes, but also for all California youth who deserve to learn a fair and accurate account of California and US history,” said Carolyn Laub, executive director of Gay-Straight Alliance Network. “By passing the FAIR Education Act, the Assembly has taken an unprecedented step to reduce bullying, increase safety for all students, and teach students to respect each other’s differences.” “The struggle of the multicultural and multiethnic LGBT community in California is one of the greatest stories yet to be told,” said Equality California Executive Director Roland Palencia. “The FAIR Education Act will ensure that public schools acknowledge the heroism of individuals and communities who in spite of countless barriers continuously overcome adversity.” The measure was opposed – predictably – by Concerned Women for America, the California Family Council, and a coalition of Roman Catholic and evangelical Protestant groups. Responding to critics who accused him of using California students to promote his own political agenda, Leno said his agenda was inclusive and respectful. “This is about a political agenda — a political agenda that promotes respect, dignity, and validation for human life,” he said. “An agenda that promotes loving thy neighbor as thyself. That’s what this agenda is about.” Research cited by the bill’s supporters indicates that students who learn about LGBT people find their school environments more accepting of LGBT youth. Students are also more likely to report that their LGBT peers are treated fairly at school – and that other types of peer-to-peer disrespect also decline – when LGBT people and
courtesy new haven register
CT governor signs Transgender protection bill
Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy
NGLTF Executive Director Rea Carey noted her organization’s exhaustive study documenting discrimination, harassment, and violence against Trans people, “Injustice at Every Turn.” “Connecticut responded appropriately to this crisis,” Carey said. “We thank Gov. Dan Malloy and lawmakers for ensuring that the people of Connecticut, regardless of gender identity or expression, are protected from
such discrimination. Congratulations to the Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition and CtEquality, and all those who have advocated for these critical protections.” Gunner Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), added, “I hope that our own Massachusetts legislature will soon follow in passing our state’s Transgender Equal Rights Bill.”
issues are included in instructional materials. The California Assembly’s action came a mere six weeks after the Tennessee Senate passed the notorious “Don’t say Gay” bill, forbidding discussion of sexual orientation
in grammar schools and middle schools. Tennessee’s House of Representatives did not take up the measure before it adjourned for the year, but it could be brought back for a vote when the legislative session resumes in 2012.
Anti-bullying settlement announced following the suicide of California teen by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The stories used to appear only in newspapers like Seattle Gay News. The headlines were somber, the topic was cruel: another Gay teen has died by suicide. But something happened when the 2010-11 school year began. An alarming number of teens – the youngest just 13 years-old – took their own lives due to anti-LGBT bullying. As the ugly truth began to surface (many of the students had reached out but did not receive the help and support they needed), the mainstream media began to take notice and the country began to mourn. The bullying of LGBT teens, or those perceived to be LGBT, must stop. Donations to the Trevor Project began to pour in. The It Gets Better Project took off. Locally, the Youth Suicide Prevention Program saw a record number of fundraisers that would help to financially support the important work that they do. LGBT suicide awareness had finally gone mainstream, and there was no turning back. Still, LGBT teens are committing suicide. We, the media (be it mainstream or community newspapers) continue to hear about, and report on, the needless loss of a youth’s life. Reports bearing good news are few and far between. Well, Seattle, this writer is happy to report that justice (however late it might seem) has been served. On July 1, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education reached a significant settlement with the Tehachapi
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Unified School District, following an investigation into harassment of Seth Walsh based on his non-conformity with gender stereotypes. Seth Walsh killed himself in September 2010 after enduring years of bullying and harassment at school. The DOJ and DOE investigation in the Tehachapi district confirmed that Walsh was targeted for harassment at school for two years and that the school district did not fulfill its responsibilities to protect him from this harassment. As a result of the settlement, the district will implement a series of specific policies, procedures, and training that will better protect students from sexual harassment and harassment based on gender stereotypes. This settlement is one of the first of its kind in the country (and perhaps the most comprehensive) under the DOE definition of gender stereotyping that includes sexual orientation. “The findings from the DOJ and the DOE send a clear message that protection of students in public schools is of paramount importance. When it comes to stopping harassment based on sexual orientation and gender perception, schools need to get it right or face the consequences,” said James Gilliam, director of the Seth Walsh Project at the ACLU of Southern California. “Better harassment policies save lives and make a safer environment for all students. No student should feel threatened for being who they are.”
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FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK AT VOLUNTEER PARK On Friday, July 8, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, July 10, at 2 p.m., GreenStage presents Antony and Cleopatra at the Volunteer Park amphitheater (14th Ave. E. & E. Prospect St.). Additional performances of Antony and Cleopatra will be held in Volunteer Park on Thursday, August 11, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, August 13, at 7 p.m. On Saturday, July 9, at 7 p.m., GreenStage presents The Tempest at the Volunteer Park amphitheater. Additional performances of The Tempest will be held in Volunteer Park on Sunday, July 17, at 7 p.m., Friday, August 12, at 7 p.m., and Saturday August 12, at 3 p.m. For a complete schedule of GreenStage’s Shakespeare in the Park performances around Seattle and King County, visit www. greenstage.org. On Saturday, July 9, at 2 p.m., Seattle Shakespeare Company/Wooden O presents Macbeth at the Volunteer Park amphitheatre. On Sunday, July 10, at 7 p.m., Seattle Shakespeare Company/Wooden O presents A Comedy of Errors at the Volunteer Park amphitheatre. For a complete schedule of Seattle Shakespeare Company/Wooden O performances around Seattle and King County, visit www. seattleshakespeare.org and select “Wooden O” from the menu at the top.
BINET SEATTLE ANNUAL PICNIC AT RAVENNA PARK On Saturday, July 9, from 3-7 p.m, at Ravenna Park (entrance on 20th Ave. NE and NE 58th St., about a block north of Ravenna Blvd. NE), at the picnic shelter, join Bi-Net Seattle for this family-friendly event. Bring your kids and your partners and enjoy the sun and the shade. They will provide burgers, sausages, vegetarian burgers, and plates. You bring a non-alcoholic beverage and something to share, such as a salad or dessert. Please RSVP to http://www.socializr.com/event/binetseattle/picnic2011. THIRD ANNUAL QUEER TV SHOW TO BENEFIT ALLYSHIP On Saturday, July 9, door at 7:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m., at Re-bar (1114 Howell St.), Ladyking Productions presents the Third Annual Queer TV Show, a benefit show for Allyship, starring Sylvia O’Stayformore, Aleksa Manila, Gams Galore, Renten, Anita Goodman, Pidgeon von Tramp, Dahlia Ste. Cyr, Glitter Tribe, Luscious Ladypop, and much more, with MC Kosha. Sliding scale $10-$20 at the door. For more information, visit www.LGBTQAllyship.org.
EYEWITNESS REPORT FROM LABOR COMMUNITY FIGHT BACK CONFERENCE On Sunday, July 10, from 2-4 p.m., at SEATTLE UNITED New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.), SOCCER LEAGUE Amalgamated Transit Union delegate Linda SUMMER SEASON Averill will report back from a national conhttp://seattleunitedsl.com. ference being held June 24-26 at Kent State (Ohio), to plan a coordinated response to the FREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY – devastating budget crisis. Meeting is FREE; “DEBATE FOR BEGINNERS” brunch will be served at 1 p.m. for a $7 doOn Saturday, July 9, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., nation. All welcome. 206-722-2453; FSPseat New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. attle@mindspring.com. S.), Freedom Socialist Party hosts a handson workshop for opinionated people. ImSEATTLE PFLAG HOSTS prove your skills as a social advocate and Q&A WITH ABBY DEES work out your public speaking jitters in On Monday, July 11, at 7 p.m., at Seattle a friendly environment with experienced First Baptist Church (1111 Harvard Ave.), coaches. $20 fee includes lunch and materi- join Seattle PFLAG and Civil Rights Atals. To register, call 206-722-2453 or email torney and LGBT activist Abby Dees for FSPseattle@mindspring.com. a discussion of her book Queer Questions, Straight Talk. Seattle PFLAG (Parents and BALLARD SEAFOOD FEST Friends of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and On Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, Transgenders) support meetings are held from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sat.) and from 11 a.m- the second Monday of each month and are 7 p.m. (Sun.), in downtown Ballard, 22nd open to the public. All are welcome to join Ave. NW and NW Market St. Enjoy sea- the discussion and admission is always free. food, wine and beer garden, arts and crafts, www.seattle-pflag.org. music. www.seafoodfest.org. “WEST SIDE STORY AND BASTILLE DAY FESTIVAL THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION” On Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, On Monday, July 11, from 7:30-9 p.m., from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., at Seattle Center’s at Town Hall (1119 8th Ave.), join MarCenter House and Fisher Pavilion (includ- tin Charnin, artistic director of Showtunes ing the lawn and roof of the pavilion), en- Theatre Company, singers from the 5th Avjoy a full schedule of events in celebration enue Theatre, Misha Berson, Seattle Times of Bastille Day, including entertainment, theatre critic and author of Something’s cooking demos, wine tastings, episodes of Coming, Something Good for a celebration Rick Steves’ Europe, children’s activities. of West Side Story, with songs, stories and http://seattle-bastille.org. clips from the movie. From its inception by a brilliant quartet (Robbins, Bernstein, SCHOOL OF ACROBATICS Sondheim, and Laurents) to its success on & NEW CIRCUS ARTS film, its ongoing popularity, and its impact OPEN HOUSE on the Great American Musical, West Side On Saturday, July 9, from 1-5 p.m., at Story is one of the most inventive, influenSchool of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts tial, and internationally beloved musicals (674 S. Orcas St.), join SANCA for a free of all time. On the occasion of the 50th anopen house tour of their 7,600 sq. ft. expan- niversary of the Oscar-winning film Misha sion work-in-progress and see the recent im- Berson has written a new book, Something’s provements in their theater space. You will Coming, Something Good: West Side Story have the opportunity to watch classes in ac- and the American Imagination. Awardtion and feats of daring by their Youth Per- winning theatre critic and author Misha formers. Walk a tight wire, learn to juggle/ Berson takes readers through every phase hula hoop, and socialize with other guests and angle of West Side Story with chapters while enjoying tasty treats. 206-652-4433; on not only the stage musical and film, but www.sancaseattle.org. also the book, music, dance, Shakespeare’s
influence, juvenile delinquency and bigotry, “A LITTLE BIT OF GAY PARIS” – and pop culture. Books will be on sale at the PUDDLETOWN SQUARES’ event. Tickets: $5 at www.brownpapertickA TASTE OF SQUARE DANCING ets.com/event/178391, 800-838-3006, or at On Thursday, July 14, from 7-9 p.m., at St. the door. Andrews Episcopal Church (111 NE 80th St., near Greenlake), Puddletown Squares “SCREENING MERCE” – hosts a free “taste of Gay square dancing” MERCE CUNNINGHAM event – “A Little Bit of Gay Paris.” “We see ON FILM London ... We see France ... Come get an AT NW FILM FORUM Eiffel of Gay Square dance.” So come on On Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m., the North- out and see what Gay square dancing is all west Film Forum (1515 12th Ave.) contin- about! “This ain’t your Grandma’s square ues their yearlong celebration of the films of dancing anymore.” Casual dress, genderMerce Cunningham with three short works neutral partnering, singles and couples welthat contributed to innovation in the explo- come. Come out and meet Seattle’s LGBT ration of film/video and dance. The works veterans and first responders. www.puddlebeing shown will be “Beach Birds for Cam- townsquares.org. era,” “Deli Commedia,” and “Locale.” Cost is $9-general with student/senior discounts. BITE OF SEATTLE www.nwfilmforum.org. AT SEATTLE CENTER JULY 15-17 GSBA CANDIDATE RECEPTION Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., SunAND PRIME TIME MIXER day, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. For complete details, On Wednesday, July 13, from 5:30-7:30 visit www.comcastbiteofseattle.com p.m., at Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes, (The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Ave. “BOLLYWOOD PANORAMA” – SW), the GSBA in conjunction with the OUTDOOR FILM SERIES West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is AT VOLUNTEER PARK holding a Candidate Reception. Come meet On Fridays, July 15, 22, 29 and August 5, all the candidates running for local and at 9:30 p.m., enjoy free outdoor screenings statewide elections before the primary. You of Bollywood hits at the Volunteer Park amwill have a chance to ask questions of all the phitheatre (14th Ave. E. & E. Prospect St.), hopefuls as well as mingle with other GSBA on the lawn across the street from the Seatmembers, guests and those from the West tle Asian Art Museum. Enjoy a performance Seattle Chamber of Commerce. of sarod and tabla music before showtime. The Hall at Fauntleroy is situated in a for- East Indian food trucks will be on site on mer West Seattle public schoolhouse and July 22 and 29. Film titles: 7/15 - Black; features spacious and elegantly appointed 7/22 - Taal, 7/29 - Chandni Bar, 8/5 - The interiors and enchanting gardens. Cost: $10- Namesake. Bring a blanket to sit on. GSBA members, $15 nonmembers, $10 students. Free parking in Tuxedos and Tennis SEATTLE RAINBOW Shoes lot and on the street. To pre-register, CONTRA DANCE call 206-363-9188 or visit www.thegsba. On Saturdays, no dance 7/2 or 7/9, reorg. sumes 7/16, at Ballard Odd Fellows Hall (1706 NW Market St.), join LGBTQ folks POZ SEATTLE and friends (and all who want to dance) for BBQ SOCIAL this fun, easy-to-learn, easy-to-dance, genOn Wednesday, July 13, from 6-8 p.m., der-neutral contra dance, with live calling at The Cuff Complex (13th Ave. & E. Pine and live bluegrass music. No experience or St.), join POZ Seattle members and friends partner necessary. All dances taught. Free on the back patio for a POZSeattle BBQ and lesson at 7 p.m. Dance from 7:30-10 p.m. socializing, to catch-up with old friends and Cost is $8. to make new ones. This event is free (except http://seattledance.org/contra/rainbow; for the cost of beverages from the bar) and is YouTube: Seattle Rainbow Contra Dance. for all HIV-Positive men and their friends, NOTE: Seattle Rainbow Contra Dance regardless of age, shape, size or color. will be taking the summer off following POZSeattle is a social organization run for the 7/16 dance with plans to resume in and by Seattle-area HIV-positve guys that is October. committed to planning and promoting fun, social activities. For questions or more inLEZZBOOK.COM’S formation about this event, to plan your own DJ SMACKDOWN GALA social event, or to be added to the POZ SeatAT BALTIC ROOM tle event promotions email list, email info@ TO BENEFIT THE pozseattle.org or visit www.pozseattle.org. IT GETS BETTER PROJECT On Saturday, July 23, from 8 p.m.-2 a.m., SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN at the Baltic Room (1207 Pine St.) join DJs BOOK CLUB – Lisa Pittman, LA Kendall and others for a DJ Smackdown Gala benefitting the It Gets ADAM HASLETT’S Better Project. With appearances by Rose UNION ATLANTIC The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club Garcia and Whitney Mixter from the Real L meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Seattle Word and Jill Bennett and Cathy DeBuono Area Support Groups Community Center of “We Have To Stop Now” web series with (formerly Dunshee House) (303 17th Ave. more to be announced. Plus hot guy dancE. at E. Thomas St.). All GLBTQ folks in ers and even hotter lady dancers and silent the community are welcome to participate auction. All are welcome. Dress to impress! Tickets: $10-regular, $30-VIP. www.LEZin this FREE book club. The book for July is Adam Haslett’s Union ZBOOK.com. Atlantic - a Lambda award-winning novel. “ROCK & ROLL FANTASY” – For more information, email nickdimarTHREE DOLLAR BILL tin@earthlink.net or contact SASG at 206OUTDOOR CINEMA 322-2437. AT CAL ANDERSON PARK Three Dollar Bill Cinema presents “Rock THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW & Roll Fantasy” outdoor cinema at Cal AnJULY 13-23 derson Park (11th Ave. & E. Olive St., one AT ARTS WEST From Wednesday, July 13 through Sat- block north of E. Pine St.). Unlock your urday, July 23, Arts West (4711 California mind and get ready to rock with these fanAve. SW., just south of SW Alaska St.) pres- tastic summer movies, full of music and ents the live stage version of The Rocky Hor- fun! FREE screenings start at dusk. Concesror Show on Wednesdays through Saturdays sions for sale onsite. Schedule of films: July at 7:30 p.m., with late shows on Fridays 29, Xanadu; August 5, Labyrinth; August and Saturdays at 11 p.m. Tickets: $15; $10 12, The Apple; August 19, Footloose. www. for theatre-goers under 25. 206-938-0339; threedollarbillcinema.org. www.ArtsWest.org.
Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches Visit us online www.sgn.org
July 8, 2011
Seattle Gay News
7
INTERNATIONAL Rex Wockner
NEWS
by Rex Wockner SGN Contributing Writer
marriage, reporters struggled to find anyone who understood the details of what was going on. The measure apparently died when the Chamber of Deputies changed hands in an election and the amendment was never transmitted to the state’s municipal councils for ratification. Same-sex marriage is legal in Mexico City, and a federal Supreme Court ruling mandated that those marriages must be recognized in all states. There is no indication the federal ruling has been tested by any Gay couple in Baja California. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) that won control of the Baja Legislature does not seem to have an anti-Gay agenda, while the National Action Party (PAN) that lost control of the chamber is generally viewed as conservative and moralistic by many LGBT Tijuanans.
Council of Europe reports on LGBT discrimination The Council of Europe on June 23 unveiled its first social-legal report on antiLGBT discrimination in the association’s 47 member nations. The report maps the legal situation in each nation and highlights social attitudes and opinions about LGBT people. It also provides recommendations on how to end discrimination, ensure full equality, and increase awareness and understanding of sexual orientations and gender identities. “This is a very important document which looks at the issues of equality and human rights of LGBT people from different angles and provides clear recommendations and The U.S. consul general in Tijuana, Steve Kashkett, held a cocktail reception and meeting with about 50 members of Tijuana’s LGBT community June 28 at his suggestions to the Council of Europe memresidence in the city’s upscale Chapultepec neighborhood. ber states,” said Martin K.I. Christensen, board co-chair of the European Region of Pride ralliers arrested U.S. consul general the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, in St. Petersburg, Russia in Tijuana reaches out Trans, and Intersex Association. “The report Fourteen activists were jailed overnight to LGBTs after police broke up the second Gay pride The U.S. consul general in Tijuana, Steve also looks at the issues of political will, somarch in St. Petersburg, Russia, just two Kashkett, held a cocktail reception and cial attitudes and current European consenminutes after it started June 25. meeting with about 50 members of Tijuana’s sus and again provides a range of specific The detainees said their jail cell was tiny LGBT community June 28 at his residence suggestions how the situation can be imand suffocatingly hot, and that police gave in the city’s upscale Chapultepec neighbor- proved.” “We hope that this report, along with the them no water. hood. In court appearances the following day, It was a first for the Tijuana consulate. they received small fines (the biggest was Staff members said Secretary of State Hil$35) for organizing an illegal public action. lary Clinton had encouraged U.S. diplomats However, they face an additional charge around the world to reach out to local Gay of disobeying police orders, which can carry communities during “pride month.” a penalty of up to 15 days in jail. Kashkett said he has had a strong connecThe “march” consisted of a boat on the tion with Gay people since his days workNeva River carrying a huge rainbow flag, ing in a bookstore in Amsterdam. He said which was executed by one group of activ- the consulate is interested in knowing how Prop 8 proponents push on ists, an attempt by a second group to begin it can help local LGBT people achieve their to undo verdict marching from the statue of Peter the Great, rights, and he forcefully stated that local The proponents of California’s same-sexcarrying flags and banners, and a similar U.S. diplomats want to be there for the Gay marriage ban are pushing on with their latest demonstration nearby on the stairs of the community. attempt to undo the federal District Court Constitutional Court. The consulate’s programs coordinator, ruling that found Proposition 8 violates the The whole thing lasted only two minutes Héctor Vindiola, said the goal of the gather- U.S. Constitution. before police swooped in and put an end to ing was to “open up the dialogue in order to On June 28, the people who put Prop 8 on it. support the protection and advancement of the ballot in 2008 appealed a June 14 DisThe crackdown follows a nearly identical [LGBT] rights in Tijuana.” trict Court decision against “vacating” the one on Moscow’s sixth Gay pride attempt About 200 people work at the Tijuana judgment that struck down the state constiin May. U.S. consulate general. tutional amendment. Both police actions violated a recent rulSeveral San Diego LGBT activists were The proponents had unsuccessfully aring by the European Court of Human Rights invited to the event, but only three attended. gued that the ruling should be thrown out that Russia cannot ban Gay pride events. News reports about drug-related violence because the now-retired judge who decided The court found that previous bans in Mos- have left some Southern Californians un- the case, Vaughn Walker, is in a same-sex cow violated the European Convention on willing to visit Baja California in recent relationship. Human Rights in the areas of freedom of years. The two cities are about 15 miles San Francisco U.S. District Judge James assembly and association, the right to an ef- apart. Ware swatted away that move June 14, sayfective remedy and prohibition of discrimiTijuana has long had a well-developed ing: “Requiring recusal because a court isnation. Gay bar and club scene. It has had a Gay sued an injunction that could provide some European Gay activists have responded to pride parade for 16 years, though marchers speculative future benefit to the presiding Russia’s flouting of the ruling by calling on never have totaled more than 1,000 in the judge solely on the basis of the fact that the the Council of Europe to suspend Russia’s city of 1.6 million people. In recent years, judge belongs to the class against whom the voting rights in the association. LGBT cultural organizations have formed unconstitutional law was directed would Later on June 25, about 100 activists in and cultural events have become more com- lead to a ... standard that required recusal Germany protested at Russia’s embassy in mon, sometimes with support from gov- of minority judges in most, if not all, civil Berlin, including openly Gay Bundestag ernmental agencies. For the past two years, rights cases. ... The presumption that Judge member Volker Beck. there has been a large, outdoor, two-day Gay Walker, by virtue of being in a same-sex re“Russian LGBT activists, today in St. Pe- festival in the center of downtown, separate lationship, had a desire to be married that tersburg and in May in Moscow, are heroes from the pride parade. rendered him incapable of making an imthat we can be proud of,” Beck said. “The Tijuana does not, however, have LGBT partial decision, is as warrantless as the preactions of the police are completely unac- political organizations, and the Gay com- sumption that a female judge is incapable of ceptable and I expect from our government munity does not seem to be politically ac- being impartial in a case in which women to explicitly address this issue in bilateral tive in an organized way. Last year, when seek legal relief.” discussions with the Russian government.” the Baja state Chamber of Deputies in The attack on Walker has been derided Mexicali, the state capital, seemed poised by Gay groups. Equality California called to enact a constitutional ban on same-sex it “pathetic,” “groundless” and “shameful.”
Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers Recommendations adopted in March, and a number of the judgments by the European Court of Human Rights, will provide European countries with a solid road map towards full equality and respect of LGBT people’s human rights,” Christensen said. Gays march in Havana For the first time, LGBT people marched in Havana June 28 without government approval or affiliation with any governmental agency. Previous Gay marches have been staged through CENESEX, the National Center for Sex Education, which is run by President Raúl Castro’s daughter Mariela. The march, down Paseo del Prado, was organized by an independent group called LGBT Observatory of Cuba. A spokeswoman for the group told reporters that CENESEX does not speak for all Cuban LGBT people. Hungarian LGBT group launches discriminationreporting tool Hungary’s Háttér Support Society for LGBT People has launched an online discrimination-reporting system. Victims and witnesses of discrimination, harassment, violence and other injustices based on sexual orientation or gender identity can fill out electronic forms to report an incident and request legal aid. A recent survey found that 44 percent of LGBT Hungarians have experienced antiGay discrimination and that most did not report it to authorities. Háttér hopes the project will “promote the reporting and documentation of incidents as well as provide easy access to competent and free legal aid.” The campaign is being financed in part by the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association. With assistance from Bill Kelley
NATIONAL
NEWS
8
Seattle Gay News
July 8, 2011
by Rex Wockner SGN Contributing Writer Lambda Legal called it an “outrageous” “sideshow.” And the National Center for Lesbian Rights called it “desperate.” “It is disappointing that the proponents of Proposition 8 continue their unfounded attack on former Chief Judge Walker, and this [appeal] is just the latest sign of their desperation,” said Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., counsel for the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which filed the lawsuit that led to Prop 8’s being struck down. “Chief Judge Ware correctly recognized that a Gay or Lesbian judge is entitled to the same presumption of fairness and impartiality as all other federal judges, not the presumption of bias urged by proponents,” Boutrous said. “We are confident that the denial of proponents’ unfortunate motion will be affirmed.” AFER’s board president, Chad Griffin, said the proponents’ latest action rises to the level of anti-Gay animus. “Desperately clinging to whatever life raft they can, the anti-marriage forces behind Prop 8 have tried repeatedly to get our victory thrown out,” Griffin said. “With this appeal, they have once again revealed the same animus they showed during their antiGay political campaign to pass Prop 8. They will stop at nothing to deny Gay and Lesbian Americans the freedom to marry.” Walker’s original ruling that struck down Prop 8 is also on appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeal has been delayed because the 9th Circuit is unsure whether the people who filed the appeal – the folks who put Prop 8 on the ballot in 2008 – have a legal right to
Celebrating 38 Years!
rex wockner
PRIDE EVENTS
CALENDAR
compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
PRIDE AROUND WASHINGTON AND IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
and everything in between. Fantastic music, company, and giveaways help make this a memorable evening. www.victoriapridesociety.org.
“SATURDAY IN THE PARK” VANCOUVER, WA PRIDE JULY 9 On Saturday, July 9, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., at Esther Short Park (W. Columbia Ave. and W. 8th St., Vancouver, WA), celebrate Vancouver’s “Bigger, Better, Brighter” GLBTQ Pride for SW Washington. On Sunday, June 26, Vancouver hosts their 7th annual Gay Pride Pageant, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show, at The Northbank Bar (106 W. 6th St., Vancouver, WA).) http://sitppride.info.
AFER Board President Chad Griffin
step into the shoes of the state government and defend a piece of the state constitution that has been found in violation of the U.S. Constitution. All of the actual defendants in the case – the governor, the attorney general, the county clerks of Alameda and Los Angeles counties, and the state Health Department – have refused to defend Prop 8. Because of its uncertainty, the 9th Circuit has asked the California Supreme Court for its thoughts on whether the Prop 8 proponents have legal standing to appeal. The California Supreme Court has agreed to answer the question, but has not yet done so. Should the Prop 8 proponents be found not to have any legal standing to have appealed Walker’s ruling, the ruling will take effect and same-sex couples will again be able to marry in California. The standing issue should be resolved late this year or early next year. Major same-sex marriage suit filed in NJ Lambda Legal sued New Jersey on June 29 to force legalization of same-sex marriage. The plaintiffs are seven same-sex couples and the lobby group Garden State Equality. The case makes both state and federal claims, arguing that New Jersey’s civilunion law violates the state constitution and the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment. “The constitutional guarantee of equality under the law does not stop midway through the Lincoln Tunnel,” said Hayley Gorenberg, Lambda’s deputy legal director. “Our clients have been kept from each other during medical crises, denied health insurance, and even discriminated against in funeral homes because their civil unions relegate them to second-class status.” GSE Chair Steven Goldstein said, “everybody in New Jersey knows that civil unions don’t work.” “Since civil unions became law in New Jersey, Garden State Equality has received reports from multitudes of civil-union couples who have told us their employers refuse to provide the equal rights and benefits the civil-union law mandates,” he said. “It’s time for the courts to fix this mess and give full marriage equality to New Jersey’s same-sex couples and their children.”
Festival airs on Showtime throughout July. The network says of the film, Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives, “A group of vengeful ‘trannies’ learn martial arts and seek bonecrushing revenge on the dim-witted thugs that assaulted one of their own in this violent, gleefully trashy homage to ‘70s exploitation flicks.” GLAAD campaigned against the movie in early 2010, demanding that it “be pulled” from Tribeca’s lineup. “The film, its title and its marketing misrepresent the lives of Transgender women and use grotesque, exploitative depictions of violence against Transgender women in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face,” the organization said. “GLAAD has reached out to writer/director Israel Luna, the film’s producer and the Tribeca Film Festival, and both have refused to take responsibility for the problematic content and offensive marketing of this film. We urge you to contact the Tribeca Film Festival and call on them to pull Ticked-Off Trannies with Knives from their schedule.” Tribeca refused to disinvite the film, and Luna, who is Gay, fought back with a vicious YouTube parody of GLAAD. Village Voice columnist Michael Musto called the movie’s characters “funny, tarttongued, and caring ... breasty and wellaccessorized.” “I adored them,” he said.
U.S. drops deportation case against married Gay Venezuelan The U.S. government in mid-June dropped its deportation case against Henry Velandia, a Gay Venezuelan who married Josh Vandiver in Connecticut and overstayed his visa. The couple’s lawyer, Lavi Soloway, said an Immigration and Customs Enforcement lawyer told him that pursuing Velandia “is not an enforcement priority at this time.” The federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages – and would seem to prevent foreign same-sex partners of Americans from obtaining a spousal green card to remain in the country – but the Justice Department has said it considers DOMA unconstitutional. Pending the law’s being repealed by ConTicked-Off Trannies gress or definitively struck down by courts, comes to Showtime it’s not clear when the government might opt The “tranny” movie that the Gay & Les- to enforce DOMA and when it might not. bian Alliance Against Defamation tried to get banned from New York’s Tribeca Film With assistance from Bill Kelley
MID-COLUMBIA PRIDE “TRUE COLORS” PRIDE WEEK JULY 10-17 Club Out & About (327 W. Lewis, Pasco) will host an LGBTQ Film Festival on 7/10 at 4 p.m., an 18+ Drag Bingo & Drag in a Bag Contest on 7/13 at 9:30 p.m., an Out & About Idol: Karaoke Contest on 7/14 at 9 p.m., the Miss Gay Columbia Basin Pageant on 7/16 at 9 p.m., and the Pink Party on 7/17 at 6 p.m. On 7/15 at 6:30 p.m., the Rainbow Awards will be presented in Walla Walla at a location to be determined. On “OUT IN TACOMA/ 7/16 at Keewaydin Park (W. 4th Ave. and OUT IN THE PARK” S. Auburn St., Kennewick), a W4W softTACOMA/PIERCE COUNTY ball game will be held at 11 a.m. and a M4M PRIDE FESTIVAL kickball game will be held at 1 p.m. On 7/17 JULY 9 the Pride March will step off on Kennewick On Saturday, July 9, from noon to 6 p.m., Ave. in Kennewick at 2 p.m. and march to in Tacoma’s downtown Theater District (on Keewaydin Park for the Pride Festival from Broadway, between 9th St. and 11th St., and 3-6 p.m. on the plaza between The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts and the Pierce TranKITSAP PRIDE sit Park/staging area), Out in Tacoma presJULY 16 ents the 2011 Tacoma/Pierce Country Pride Kitsap County celebrates Pride on SaturFestival. day, July 16, at Bremerton’s Evergreen Park www.rainbowcntr.org or www.outinta- (1500 Park Ave.). www.kitsappride.org. coma.com. NORTH AMERICAN OUTGAMES BELLINGHAM PRIDE VANCOUVER, BC B PROUD PRIDE WEEK JULY 25-31 JULY 6-10 www.vancouver2011outames.com On Sunday, July 10, from noon-5 p.m., at Bellingham Farmers Market (1100 Railroad VANCOUVER, BC Ave., Bellingham), the Bellingham Pride DYKE MARCH Festival will be held. The Bellingham Pride JULY 30 Parade will be held on Sunday, July 10, www.vancouverdykemarch.com prior to the festival. For more information, visit www.bhampride.org. VANCOUVER, BC PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL VICTORIA, BC PRIDE JULY 31 JULY 8-10 The annual Pride Parade, from noon-3 On Sunday, July 10, at noon, the Pride p.m., travels through the downtown corridor Parade steps off from Government and Pan- along Denman St. and ends at the Sunset dora Sts. and travels to the Pride Festival at Beach for the Pride Festival. The 150 paMacDonald Park (Oswego St. and Simcoe rade entries include colourful floats, musiSt., Victoria) which starts at 1 p.m. Enjoy cal marching bands, community groups and live bands, drag performances, vendors, 650,000 spectators. The celebration confood fair, community groups, children’s tinues at the Sunset Beach Pride Festival, entertainment and beer garden. A Sunset which attracts 125,000 people and features Harbour Boat Cruise will be held on Friday, ive music by local performers and headlinJuly 8, from 7-10 p.m. This annual event ers. The festival includes 140 booths with will take you on a breathtaking tour of the a diverse range of products, services, and a Inner Harbour, and surrounding area. See private, beachfront beer garden. www.vancruise ships, the Johnston Street Bridge, couverpride.ca.
Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches Visit us online www.sgn.org
July 8, 2011
Seattle Gay News
9
10 Seattle Gay News
July 8, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
Finally, A New Gay Bar in West Seattle! Coming Summer 2011 Visit us online www.sgn.org
www.outwestbar.com July 8, 2011
Seattle Gay News 11
NEW LOCATION! B'way & E. Pine, Broadway at Seattle Central Community College Farmers Market Sundays, 11am - 3pm, May 8 - Dec 18. 12 Seattle Gay News
July 8, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
July 8, 2011
Seattle Gay News 13
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July 8, 2011
Save the date! August 6, 5 PM Miller Playfield Celebrating 38 Years!
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July 8, 2011
Seattle Gay News 15
U.S. Embassy hosts Pride celebration in Islamabad, mullahs outraged courtesy daily messenger
rorism. “We condemn the American conspiracy to encourage [Bisexuality] in our country. They have destroyed us physically, imposed the so-called war on terrorism on us and now they have unleashed cultural terrorism on us,” Mehnati said. Mehnati added that “This [event] shows [how] cruel America has unleashed a storm of immoral values on our great Islamic values, which we’ll resist at all costs.” In Islamabad, JI’s youth group, burned a U.S. flag in protest, and shouted, “we are ready for jihad against the U.S.” A placard at that rally read “Americans, we will not allow you to spread your vulgar and ugly civilization in Pakistan.” JI spokesperson Noorul Bashar told Pakistani media that “through our peaceful rally
we want to give message through the media that we will not allow [Gays] to live here and they should be immediately deported out of Pakistan.” Under Pakistan’s secular penal code, homosexuality is a crime punishable by a prison sentence of up to two years. The former military dictator General Zia ul Haq introduced Sharia into the Pakistani legal system in 1978, however. Now Islamic courts may intervene in legal cases and often stipulate severe punishments for same-sex relations and for other offenses against traditional values, such as adultery, fornication, and alcohol consumption. Cynics have noted that no punishment has been defined for pederasty, which is reportedly common in tribal areas of Pakistan.
The religious right’s shadow nation by Wayne Besen SGN Contributing Writer
Students belonging to Islami Jamiat-e-Talba (IJT) stage a protest outside the Karachi Press Club against a Gay pride celebration at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer U.S. Charge d’Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland and members of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA) hosted a Pride celebration on June 26, at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. It was, the embassy said proudly, the “first ever” in Pakistan’s capital city. According to a statement released by the embassy, “Over 75 people including Pakistani Gay community leaders attended the meeting.” Hoagland – who, as deputy chief of mission, is the number-two U.S. diplomat in Pakistan – quoted from President Obama’s May 31 Pride Proclamation that, “we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.” Acknowledging that the struggle for LGBT rights in Pakistan is just beginning, Hoagland told his Gay and Lesbian Pakistani guests that the U.S. would assist them. “I want to be clear: the U.S. Embassy is here to support you and stand by your side every step of the way,” Hoagland said.
While Pakistan’s constitution does not address same-sex relations, under the strict interpretation of traditional Sharia law favored by most Pakistani religious scholars, such acts are regarded as immoral and evil and can result in brutal punishment, including whipping, prison, and sometimes death. The Pride celebration did not go over well with local religious leaders or their political organizations. Members of Pakistan’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), described the event as a form of “cultural terrorism.” “[Gay people] are the curse of society and social garbage,” JI said in a statement. “They don’t deserve to be Muslim or Pakistani, and the support and protection announced by the U.S. administration for them is the worst social and cultural terrorism against Pakistan.” Thousands of irate Muslim protestors took to the streets in Pakistani cities. A JI spokesperson at a mass rally in Karachi called the Pride celebration “an assault on Pakistan’s Islamic culture.” According to Dawn, an English-language Pakistani daily, Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, a top official with JI, also compared the U.S. Embassy celebration to an act of ter-
16 Seattle Gay News
July 8, 2011
Lately, it seems Christian fundamentalists have campaigned to pervert the notion of “religious freedom” to mean they have the absolute right to control lives and dictate how other people live. If they are unable to coerce or browbeat non-believers into following their church’s rules in the public square, they falsely play the victim card and cry “discrimination.” For normal Americans, religious freedom means the right to worship according to conscience. This most basic tenet of liberty is not enough for America’s predatory fundamentalists. They believe they are superior and have the God-given right to force society to play by their rules. This inability to co-exist is a divisive and destabilizing force that must be adequately addressed. How far will these extremists go to get their way and claim special rights? Consider a new bill proposed by two Michigan state senators, Tupac Hunter (D-Detroit) and Mark Jansen (R-Grand Rapids) that would permit students in counseling programs to refuse helping clients with issues that conflicted with their “sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.” The Michigan Messenger reported this week that this ludicrous legislation was in response to an Eastern Michigan University student, Julea Ward, who was expelled from a counseling program after declining to counsel a Gay student. According to the Messenger, Ward refused to offer relationship advice because she thought it was tantamount to cheerleading a “lifestyle” that she rejected. Ward sued in federal court, but they have so far ruled that Christians are still part of society and not above the rule of law. “[Ward] was met with I feel an inappropriate response whereby she was penalized for having her own moral conviction,” Hunter told the Michigan Messenger. “The legislation was crafted to do exactly what it says. To prohibit an individual who is in one of those programs who has a value conflict from being discriminated against.” First, all respected mental health organizations say that homosexuality is not a disease that can be treated. Any counseling that rejects Gay relationships or coming out as an option is by nature inappropriate, unhealthy, and damaging to the client. Furthermore, counseling should be about the patient, not the self-serving religious needs of the therapist. If ultra-religious counselors can’t do their jobs, they should consider a new career in the clergy, where they can indulge their beliefs. Second, the counseling profession by nature is one where experts provide advice to people with whom they may personally disagree. It is absolutely preposterous that
self-righteous therapists would install purity tests for potential clients and cherry-pick the ones who are sanitized by scripture. And what happens midway though weekly therapy if the seemingly wholesome client reveals an unseemly fetish, distasteful action, or insalubrious thought? Does the offended therapist abruptly end further sessions, humiliating the client who is made to feel dirty and unworthy? Might this harsh condemnation and judgment do more damage than the original reason the individual sought help, which would rightfully be considered malpractice? Third, the bill conveniently caters to antiGay therapists, but ignores the consciences of counselors with controversial, yet equally sincere beliefs. When the Michigan Messenger asked Sen. Hunter about racial exceptions, he replied, “No. That is where I draw the line.” He rationalized his comments by making the false claim that the Bible prohibits homosexual activity but does not support racism. Hunter must not be aware that religious groups like the Southern Baptist Convention used the Bible to justify slavery and segregation. Or, maybe he is aware and believes that conscience only counts if it passes his “conservative correctness” test. Finally, carving out special exemptions for blue-nosed Christian therapists would set a very dangerous precedent. The Religious Right loves to use slippery slope arguments, even if their application of them is often irrational and groundless. In the case of the Michigan counselor, however, the slippery slope is very real and could tear apart our nation’s unity and sense of purpose. If a Christian therapist can reject Gay clients, why can’t a fundamentalist mail carrier elect not to deliver letters advertising concerts for the Gay Men’s Chorus? Or what about an Orthodox Jewish deli manager working in a secular supermarket who won’t sell non-Kosher meat to reform Jews? How about a Muslim tollbooth worker of Saudi Arabian descent who refuses to let women drive through his lane because he believes it would offend Allah? (We are already seeing Christian pharmacists who deny birth control based on religious beliefs.) There is no end to the madness if we begin accommodating the supremacist and separatist impulses of fundamentalists. The Michigan bill is morally wrong, harmful to this country, and could potentially create a chaotic and divisive situation where members of favored religious sects are exempt from laws that govern the general public. As the old saying goes, if you don’t like America, you can change it or leave it. But we absolutely cannot tolerate the creation of a shadow fundamentalist nation within our borders that confuses liberty with license to run roughshod over legitimate individual rights, professional standards, and the obligations of U.S. citizenship.
Celebrating 38 Years!
Emerald City Classic tourney recap courtesy ECC
ceremony, a lot of the teams were over here and partied all night,” Humphrey said. “We had a lot of specials for the softball players who were here over the weekend.” “Purr on Saturday was a lot of fun,” Maddux said. “I spent a lot of time hanging with the San Fran Storm and the Swallows. On Sunday, my sister plays on the X Machine, so I went and was their batboy for their game. I was invited to be batboy for the Superheroes, and they ended up winning the tournament.” Maddux will be playing with the Portland Superheroes in the Portland softball tournament next month. “The ECC is a lot of fun. It’s such a great opportunity to meet new softball players
and it’s all about having a good time. Yeah, you want to win, but you want to have a good time in the process. You also have the opportunity to play with a lot of people you haven’t played with before if you’d like. ... It’s a really great opportunity,” Maddux said. Marsh said that he makes all of the Assault’s games except for the ones in Phoenix due to tax season. “I’m out there under my umbrella every day. I love my Assault! It was great seeing both Portland B teams do so well in this tournament. We look forward to seeing some of you guys at the World Series this year in Chicago, and of course in Seattle again next year.”
by Dr. Eva Hersh Courtesy of Healthy Living News
the condom. • The condom had been kept in someone’s car/wallet/pocket for more than three days. • You had sex while under the influence of any amount of alcohol or drugs. • You used an oil-based lubricant (hand lotion, massage oil, Crisco). • You decided unprotected sex was all right just this once. • You decided unprotected sex was all right if it is only with your regular partner, even though you don’t know when your partner was last tested. • You decided unprotected sex was all right if it is only with your regular partner, even though you or your partner have had other partners. • You let the condom slip off inside. • You decided unprotected sex was all right because this partner seems really nice and really clean. • Or a hundred other reasons. Everybody who has sex with anybody should be tested for HIV annually – or more often. Testing is especially important if you have had more than one partner in the past year and live in a high-risk area like the Puget Sound region. There are lots of places you can get tested, often for free. Contact your local city or county health department. Most health departments have the 20-minute HIV test that is done on saliva collected with a cotton swab – no needles are involved, and you get the results right away. Ignorance does not mean bliss; it means anxiety, danger, and irresponsibility to your partner and to yourself. Please, go get tested this week.
HIV: Test week? What test? The Emerald City Classic
by Anthony Greer SGN Staff Writer This past weekend, roughly 500 softball players from cities all over the West Coast, Phoenix, and Denver participated in the Emerald City Classic, the Emerald City Softball Association’s annual tournament. On Saturday, the 47 teams played two different games, round-robin style, to determine which division they would be in for the rest of the double-elimination tournament. Once they were separated, each played one game and then continued with the rest of the tournament on Sunday. After the final games were played, the teams retired to the awards ceremony held at Julia’s on Broadway. Among the winners of the 2011 Emerald City Classic were the Portland Assault for the B1 Division, the San Francisco Eclipse for the C1 Division, the Portland Superheroes for the D1 Paradise Division, and the Seattle Monsters for the D1 Sunrise Division. Other awards were given for sportsmanship, spirit, and best uniforms. For a complete list of the awards, and their recipients, visit www.emeraldcitysoftball.org/ecc. While the softball players themselves were excited to participate in the Emerald City Classic, arguably one of the most excited people was Todd Marsh, a sponsor for the Portland Assault, the B1 Division champions. “[The Emerald City Classic] is a tournament we look forward to every year. We were defending our title this year, so we really needed to play well. We were first place last year under a different name. … We have played against some of these Seattle players for years and always look forward to seeing them in a tournament atmosphere,” Marsh said.
Marsh started sponsoring the Portland Assault when his partner was filling in slots in their roster several years ago. They discovered that they really enjoyed the team, which resulted in Marsh sponsoring them permanently. Another sponsor and fan of the ECSA is Barbie Humphrey, the owner of Purr. Currently, she sponsors nine teams. “I think that it’s an awesome thing to do for the community. The bar that I worked at previously, Manray, sponsored teams, and when I opened up Purr, I knew that that was something that I wanted to do because of what it brings to the community and because of the relationships that you build and create from it. It’s a great organization,” Humphrey said. “I’m really good friends with a lot of the players on a lot of the teams that I sponsor, and a lot of that is due to me sponsoring the teams.” Michael Maddux, who just participated in his second ECC by playing on two teams that combined into one for the Classic (the Seattle Xtreme and the Seattle Throttle), agreed with Humphrey. “All of the teams get along really, really well regardless of where they’re from. ... It’s an opportunity to throw down, have fun, play some softball, and go out and get drinks afterwards.” The ECC itself was played on five different fields: North SeaTac Park, Steven Underwood Memorial Park, Petrovitsky Park, Riverview Playfields, and Moshier Memorial Park. After the games themselves, the players and fans were invited to several nighttime activities including the Fridaynight registration party at the Baltic Room, R Place and Purr on Saturday night, and the awards ceremony at Julia’s on Broadway on Sunday. “We were the host bar after the games on Saturday, and on Sunday after the awards
The HIV epidemic in the United States has been going on for 30 (thirty!) years now. Many of you don’t remember a time before AIDS, but I do. The worst thing that could happen to you from sex was (people thought) herpes. Eeeeewwww, herpes. Did you know that once you have the herpes virus, you will always have it? And even if you take medicine for it, you still might spread it, especially if you don’t use a condom? And you have to tell all your sex partners you have it and they might think you are, like, a slut? Today, one in four US adults is carrying the genital herpes virus. Even so, people still worry about those same things, and feel that same disgust about herpes. Even though (almost) nobody ever died or even became seriously ill from herpes. Everything I said about herpes, and a lot more, is true of HIV. Why can’t we get people to be as worried about HIV as they are about herpes? Today, one million Americans have HIV. One in five of them – 200,000 people – do not know they have it because they have not been tested. And about 40,000 more Americans get infected every year, or about one new infection every 13 minutes. Less than half of American adults have ever been tested for HIV, and lots of those who have been tested have become infected since their last test, but since they don’t know that, they still tell prospective partners, “My test was negative.” Are you at risk? Almost certainly you are. When were you last tested for HIV? You are at risk if, since your last test: • You had oral (yes, oral), vaginal, or anal sex and a condom was not in place on the penis for the entire time you were in contact with each other. • You did not check the expiration date on
Ask Dr. Eva is distributed by Healthy Living News. Dr. Eva Hersh is chief medical officer at Chase Brexton Health Services. Email comments and questions to dreva@ healthylivingnews.org or write to Eva Hersh, M.D., Chase Brexton Health Services, 1001 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201.
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Two Gay service members attacked in Colorado Springs by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Two Gay service members and several civilians were attacked in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at a fast food restaurant in the early morning hours of July 2. According to news reports, the attackers hurled anti-Gay and racial slurs as the assault took place. The two soldiers are stationed at Fort Carson and did not wish to be identified in the press for fear they could get kicked out of the service for violating the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy. Though Congress voted for repeal of DADT, the law remains in effect until the president, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the defense secretary certify that the military is ready to accept open LGB (no T yet) service. The certification is expected to take place in August, although no firm date has been set. Colorado Springs police say they will investigate the attack as a hate crime. “If based
on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation,” the attack could lead to hate-crimes charges, a police spokesperson told the media. Details of the brutal attack have emerged. According to one of the military men attacked, referred to as Ted, the soldiers had left a nightclub with their civilian friends – who work as go-go dancers at the club – shortly before the attack. “We went to Albert Tacos after leaving the nightclub where [our friends] worked,” Ted told local news station KRDO-TV. “As soon as we walked in, there was a group of African American males that walked in,” the other service member, referred to as John, said. “And they started a confrontation with us because of the fact that one of our go-gos was still in his outfit.” Both men say the harassment was both anti-Gay and racial in nature. “A lot of racial slurs,” John recalled. “A lot of hatred slurs towards, like, homosexuals.” Unfortunately, the assailants did not stop with verbal abuse. The group tried to leave the scene peace-
“I turn around and my friend was getting stomped by six black males. Another female friend of mine was trying to fight off three or four men.”
ably before things got out of hand, but the aggressors followed them out to the parking lot. That’s when the physical assault started. “I ended up getting kicked in the head and in the ribs several times,” John told media. “I have six bruised ribs. And my right eye was completely swollen shut for about nine or 10 hours.” One of the non-military victims suffered a fractured jaw. “At one point it was basically a bum rush,”
said John. “I turn around and my friend was getting stomped by six black males. Another female friend of mine was trying to fight off three or four men.” The suspects are described by witnesses and victims as five black males and two black females who left the scene in what was described as a silver passenger vehicle. The prime suspect in the assault is described as a black male, 5’5”, 135 pounds, with a bald head.
No appeal of bankruptcy court DOMA decision – DOMA still unconstitutional by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Assistant U.S. Trustee Jill Sturtevant announced on July 6 that she would no longer challenge a ruling by a U.S. bankruptcy court in California that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. The U.S. Trustee is a program under the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), assigned to act as a watchdog over the bankruptcy process to ensure compliance with federal laws. Also on July 6, a DOJ spokesperson confirmed that the trustee’s decision represented a new DOJ policy. DOJ will no longer seek to dismiss joint bankruptcy filings by same-sex couples under the provisions of DOMA, the spokesperson said. The announcements mean that the ruling by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, based in Los Angeles – that DOMA is unconstitutional – will stand. The June 13 ruling came in a bankruptcy filing brought by a same-sex married couple, Gene Douglas Balas and Carlos A. Morales. Because Section 3 of DOMA limits federally recognized marriage to opposite-sex couples, such joint filings have been routinely dismissed by courts, at the urging of the U.S. trustee. Judge Thomas B. Donovan found that DOMA violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. His ruling was signed by 19 of the remaining 23 bankruptcy judges in the Central District, in an unprecedented show of unanimity. Sturtevant said that her decision was made after consultation with BLAG, the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group set up by House Speaker John Boehner to defend DOMA in court. According to Sturtevant, BLAG decided it was not worth the expense to appeal the bankruptcy court decision since other legal challenges to DOMA are still pending in federal courts. “The BLAG is actively participating in
litigation in several other courts in which the constitutionality of Section 3 has been challenged,” Sturtevant wrote in her July 6 filing. “In light of the decision by the BLAG not to participate in this appeal and the availability of other judicial [forums] for the resolution of the constitutional question, the U.S. Trustee has determined that it is not a necessary or appropriate expenditure of the resources of this Court and the parties to continue to litigate this appeal.” DOJ spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler wrote to Metro Weekly that the July 6 filing in the Balas and Morales case represents a new policy, based on President Obama’s decision that his administration will no longer defend DOMA in court. “The Department of Justice has informed bankruptcy courts that it will no longer seek dismissal of bankruptcy petitions filed jointly by same-sex debtors who are married under state law,” she said. “This decision is consistent with and follows the administration’s notification to Congress in February of this year that it would no longer defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA as applied to legally married same-sex couples but would seek to provide Congress an opportunity to enter litigation to argue in favor of DOMA’s constitutionality. This decision to stop filing motions to dismiss bankruptcy petitions avoids generating costly and time-consuming constitutional litigation that neither the BLAG nor the Department plans to defend.” This announcement comes less than a week after DOJ filed a brief in another case – Golinski v. OPM – asserting that DOMA was motivated by anti-Gay bias and is, therefore, unconstitutional. Mere hours before the bankruptcy court filing, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the stay on a U.S. District Court order to the Defense Department to stop enforcing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The Ninth Circuit ordered the Pentagon to “take immediate steps” to comply with the District Court decision.
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18 Seattle Gay News
July 8, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
doma
continued from cover specifically motivated by prejudice against Gay people. “The federal government has played a significant and regrettable role in the history of discrimination against Gay and Lesbian individuals,” the DOJ concluded. Under these circumstances, the DOJ said, laws that treat Lesbian and Gay people differently must be subject to heightened scrutiny. The DOJ concluded that DOMA failed to meet this legal test and is therefore unconstitutional. While Attorney General Eric Holder announced in February that President Obama had concluded DOMA is unconstitutional, and that the DOJ would no longer defend the law in court, this is the first time that government lawyers have explicitly argued in court that DOMA is unconstitutional. The DOJ brief was filed in the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Plaintiff Karen Golinski is a resident of California and an employee of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She married her spouse, Amy Cunninghis, in California during the brief period when it was legal to do so. Since the California Su-
preme Court has ruled that Prop 8 does not invalidate marriages concluded prior to its passage, Golinski remains legally married to Cunninghis. As an employee of the Ninth Circuit Court, Golinski is entitled to health care coverage for her spouse, and she applied for it. Her application was denied on the grounds that, under DOMA, federal agencies do not recognize same-sex marriages. Golinski then filed a complaint under the Ninth Circuit’s Employment Dispute Resolution Plan. Chief Judge Alex Kozinski ruled in 2009 that she was entitled to spousal health benefits, but the OPM, which has jurisdiction over federal employee benefits, announced that it would not comply with his ruling. In January 2010, Lambda Legal filed suit on Golinski’s behalf against the federal government in U.S. district court, in accordance with the terms of the Employment Dispute Resolution Plan. On March 17 of this year, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White dismissed the suit on procedural grounds, but invited Golinski to amend her suit to challenge the constitutionality of DOMA Section 3. Section 3 of DOMA is the part that limits marriage to opposite-sex couples. Golinski filed an amended suit to challenge it on April 14. On May 3, BLAG (the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group) – organized by House
Speaker John Boehner to defend DOMA after DOJ announced it would not – filed a motion to dismiss Golinski’s suit. According to BLAG’s attorneys, DOMA is valid “because only a man and a woman can beget a child together, and because historical experience has shown that a family consisting of a married father and mother is an effective social structure for raising children.” On July 1, Golinski’s attorneys filed a motion for summary judgment, asking the trial court to make a final ruling in Golinski’s favor. The DOJ brief was filed in support of this motion. The admission by DOJ attorneys that government institutions have discriminated against Gays and Lesbians, and that DOMA specifically is discriminatory, was celebrated by marriage equality activists as well as by Golinski’s attorneys. “It’s quite powerful to have the administration saying in a court filing that this kind of discrimination should be viewed suspiciously,” Lambda Legal attorney Tara Borelli said. “This is a historic shift with enormous significance,” she continued. “As more courts adopt this analysis, DOMA will fall along with other laws that set Lesbian and Gay people apart for unequal treatment.” “This brief represents the concrete manifestation of a complete paradigm shift in the federal government’s position on anti-Gay discrimination and the constitutional rights
of married same-sex couples,” University of Pennsylvania law professor Tobias Barrington Wolff told AP reporters. While they were clearly happy with the DOJ’s intervention in the case, Golinski’s attorneys also warned that the case is not yet decided. “Unfortunately, this battle isn’t over yet,” said Rita Lin, an associate attorney at Morrison & Foerster LLP, and a co-counsel for Golinksi. “The lawyers representing the House leadership are still fighting us in court, and until DOMA is struck down by a court or repealed, Karen Golinski still cannot enroll her wife in her family health plan. She works every day with co-workers who can cover their spouses, but she cannot.”
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Ninth Circuit halts enforcement of DADT by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted its own stay of a lower court’s injunction barring enforcement of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy July 6. This move once again renders DADT unenforceable by the Pentagon. “With the wait for certification dragging out beyond a reasonable time frame, the Court has once again stepped in to require the Pentagon to stop enforcing DADT, and this time it very well may be for good,” said Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United and the sole veteran plaintiff on the case. “I am proud to have worked personally with Log Cabin [Republicans] on this case for more than five years now and to have represented the Gay military community as the sole named veteran on this lawsuit. Despite the criticisms and years of waiting, this case has yet again suc-
cessfully eviscerated this outdated, harmful, and discriminatory law.” The Log Cabin Republicans vs. USA lawsuit is the only contemporary successful challenge to the constitutionality of DADT, which requires the Department of Defense to fire any servicemember found to be Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual. In 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips found DADT to be unconstitutional after a two-week trial, and issued an order barring enforcement of the law worldwide. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently issued a stay of that order pending appeal by the government. The July 6 order from the Ninth Circuit overturns its own previous stay, rendering DADT once again unenforceable. Nicholson added, “Servicemembers should still remain extremely cautious with information regarding their sexual orientation for the time being. The issue remains in a state of flux, although guarded optimism is certainly warranted.”
“The Court has once again stepped in to require the Pentagon to stop enforcing DADT.”
kalebu
continued from cover courtroom. Once the verdict was read, she hugged prosecutors and quietly headed into a nearby stairwell with friends. The jury found Kalebu guilty on all counts – first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree rape, and first-degree burglary – after two days of deliberation. According to news reports, prosecutors offered substantial fingerprint and DNA evidence in an effort to show Kalebu had broken into the women’s South Park home and attacked them. From the witness stand, Butz’s surviving fiancée told the jury Kalebu repeatedly sexually assaulted her and Butz before slashing her throat and stabbing Butz in the heart. Butz died at the scene but her partner escaped and subsequently identified Kalebu. Neither woman had ever met or seen Kalebu before. He was a complete stranger to them. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Brian McDonald told jurors that Kalebu had been calm through the ordeal and that, after raping each woman, he began to cut them. Butz and her partner have been hailed as heroes for the ordeal. Butz’s fiancée says she did nothing to stop the man because she feared for her partner’s life and thought that if she tried anything he would hurt Butz. However, when Kalebu slashed her throat, she says Butz forced the man off the bed, allowing her partner to escape and live to later identify the man. Kalebu fled the scene but was arrested a few days later after a bus driver identified him from a police bulletin. Throughout the trial, many wondered about Kalebu’s mental state. His attorneys said he was not competent to face a jury, but they did not offer an insanity defense or contest their client’s ability to form criminal intent due to his mental illness. Against his lawyers’ wishes, Kalebu took the witness stand in his own defense to say why he attacked the Lesbian couple. “I was there and I was told by my God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to attack my enemies,” he said. “I followed the instructions by God.” Prior to that, Kalebu had displayed erratic behavior since his 2009 arrest. He at-
tempted suicide twice in the King County Jail. Outbursts by Kalebu during pre-trial hearings prompted King County Superior Court Judge Michael Hayden to order the 25-year-old to watch the trial remotely via a video feed. In fact, Kalebu learned of the July 1 verdict from a closed-circuit TV feed in a nearby courtroom. “It’s a somber occasion,” said Mark Larson, King County’s chief criminal deputy prosecutor. “A verdict doesn’t fix anything, but it’s still an important statement for our community. We’re grateful, but the pain doesn’t go away.” Kalebu’s lawyer, Ramona Brandes, said an appeal will be filed. The end of Kalebu’s trial means he could now face prosecution in a 2009 University Place arson that killed Kalebu’s aunt and a tenant. Rachel Kalebu, 62, and John Jones, 57, were found dead after an early-morning fire at their house in the 5500 block of 64th Avenue West. Kalebu had been living in the house until the day before the fire, when his aunt asked him to leave and filed for a domestic-violence protection order. Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, said that Kalebu is a suspect in the fire investigation. According to Pierce County court records, he has not been charged in connection with the case.
gay marriage continued from cover
In short, when Friedes speaks on LGBT equality – marriage in particular – people listen. Currently, Friedes has a lot to say. “I think marriage equality in Washington state could be achievable as early as 2012,” Friedes told Seattle Gay News in a July 7 interview. Friedes said that in order to achieve this lofty goal, he has stepped out of the role as ERW’s executive director to focus on what he does best: marriage equality. “It was clear to the board that now is the time for ERW to further intensify our efforts to secure marriage equality in Washington state as early as 2012,” said ERW Board Chair Dr. Shilpen Patel. “As ERW’s marriage equality director, I will get out of the office and travel around the state to speak with people about marriage equality,” he said. “Although there is a variety of ways to secure marriage equality in our state, none of them will be possible without public support.” Friedes says that, with the help of the momentous win in New York and an incredible base of skilled advocates, he intends to drum up the public support needed to bring, once and for all, marriage equality to Wash-
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Celebrating 38 Years!
ington. According to ERW officials, Rod Hearne, an activist and fundraiser for civil rights causes, will serve as the organization’s new executive director, effective immediately. Hearne and his partner, Roger Nyhus, are fixtures in Seattle’s progressive political scene. As ERW’s top administrator, Hearne will oversee the education fund, lobbying, and other aspects that make up the advocacy organization’s core. “Nationally, and especially in Washington, there is growing momentum to achieve marriage equality. The issue is so huge we wanted Josh to be able to focus full-time on building the movement for marriage equality in Washington,” said Hearne, previously an ERW board member. “Being an executive director is the most important job in any organization,” Friedes said, “but at this critical moment in our movement for marriage equality, I really wanted to be back in the trenches working with leaders of diverse communities and organizations to develop a marriage equality majority in the electorate and the Legislature. I’m thrilled that the board is allowing me to do the work I love and that Rod Hearne, one of the most talented leaders in the community, has agreed to step into the role of executive director.” Friedes said he believes that Washington state is better situated than most other states to achieve marriage equality because “we have a more unified community.” He may be on to something. During the successful Referendum 71 campaign, there was no opposition from within the LGBT community. In addition, Washington has a number of elected openly Lesbian and Gay legislators. “The moral, strategic leadership that we enjoy is unprecedented,” he said. “A huge amount of furthering LGBT equality in Washington is due to them. They can, and will, continue to play a role in bringing marriage equality to Washington.”
Friedes says that leaders like House Majority Caucus Chair Senator Ed Murray (D43), Representative Jamie Pederesen (D43), Representative Laurie Jinkins (D-27), and Representative Marko Liias (D-21) – to name a few – deserve recognition for their courage as they have “not been afraid to stand up for LGBT equality.” “Equal Rights Washington fills an important niche in our diverse community with its great volunteer base and its lobbying work for civil rights bills in the legislature. By devoting Josh Friedes full-time to marriage equality, it will help engage and activate the people, organizations, and resources we need to make it happen in Washington,” said Senator Ed Murray of Seattle. “I’ve sponsored legislation to bring marriage equality to Washington state, but it’s going to take a huge effort to make that happen. I’m glad that ERW is stepping up, and I look forward to working with Josh, Rod, and the ERW team,” said Representative Jim Moeller of Vancouver. Recent polling shows Washington has an increasingly pro-marriage equality electorate. Several recent studies suggest that Washington state has a better chance of securing marriage equality at the ballot box than almost any other state in the union that does not already have marriage. Thomas Pitchford, development and outreach director for ERW, told the organization’s supporters in July 5 email message that since New York Governor Cuomo’s signing of the marriage bill in New York, ERW advocates sent nearly 10,000 e-mails to Washington’s elected leaders calling for marriage equality. He said in the days immediately following the vote in New York, Washington residents signed 3,000 ERW marriage equality postcards. In July, ERW will collect postcards at events in Pierce, Clark, Skagit, and Benton counties, said Pitchford. ERW also regularly sends supporter postcards to legislators in Olympia.
“In the next month, ERW will invest $30,000 in research to determine how best to solidify a marriage equality majority in the electorate,” Pitchford said. “This is critical to developing a winning strategy to educate voters and engage those who are already our supporters.” In addition, Pitchford said, “We are conducting meetings with a number of stakeholders including LGBT and non-LGBT organizations, faith communities, donors and foundations, small and large businesses, elected leaders, unions and professional associations, and many other groups across Washington. Gaining insight and involvement from stakeholders is the best way to ensure we build a unified, strategic, and transparent campaign to secure marriage equality.” Friedes told Seattle Gay News that everyone who wants marriage equality for Washington state should have the same mantra: build strong public support. “We’ve got to keep our eyes on the prize,” he said. “We are not going to wait until the final weeks and months of a campaign. Now is the time to do the work. We are simply moving up the timeframe.” For more information about ERW or to make a donation to the organization, visit www.equalrightswashington.org.
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sarily slow,” Local 8 principal officer Erik Van Rossum said Westin management was refusing to accept anti-discrimination lan-
guage proposed by the union. “[Management] has tried to tie up every economic and non-economic issue with the union withdrawing the LGBT protections,” Van Rossum said. “We completely rejected that!” Hotel operators are developing a coordinated strategy to deal with this year’s contract negotiations, union organizers said. “The hotel owners are talking amongst themselves like never before,” UNITE HERE Regional Director Rick Sawyer said. UNITE HERE’s Hotel Workers Rising campaign aims to bring hospitality workers, usually among the lowest-paid workers in the country, into the middle class by raising wages, reducing work loads, and enhancing safety and other protections in the workplace. According to the union, hotels continued to remain profitable during the recession through a combination of layoffs, decreased work schedules, and increased workloads for staff. While this strategy benefitted the employers, the union said, it further burdened an already over-burdened low-wage workforce. According to the hospitality industry’s own projections, hotels will be returning to record profit levels by 2012. “Hotel workers can sometimes seem invisible,” Van Rossum said. “They create luxury in Seattle’s hotels by cleaning the rooms, washing the dishes, and cooking the food, among other thankless jobs. But now they are standing up with one voice to demand respect and fairness.” Seattle employers that currently have UNITE HERE contracts include the Westin, Edgewater, Seattle Hilton, Washington Athletic Club, Space Needle, SeaTac Hilton, and the DoubleTree. The Westin is operated by the New Yorkbased Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Both the Westin and Starwood were invited to comment for this article, but no response was forthcoming by press time.
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