2016 PRIDE events calendar
Celebrating 42 Years! Issue 24 Volume 44
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
A fighter for equality gets her due
Rep. Suzan DelBene to receive Seattle Women’s Pride Crusader Award
Trump “surprised” people think he’s an asshole
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
The organizers of Seattle Women’s Pride have announced that US Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-1) will receive the Seattle Women’s Pride Crusader Award at their third annual gala on Saturday, June 18. The Crusader Award honors a high-ranking official who utilizes their power for positive change in the lives of the underserved. DelBene, a Democrat, represents Washington’s First Congressional District, which spans from northeast King County to the Canadian border, includUS Rep. Susan DelBene – wikipedia.com
see DELBENE page 3
Donald Trump – trbimg.com
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Republican presidential nominee-inall-but-name Donald Trump told Time magazine he’s “surprised” that fellow Republicans criticized him for his race-baitsee TRUMP page 10
Federal judge forbids More Pride than Seattle Alabama from enforcing can handle? Capitol Hill festival denied marriage ban
permit for 2nd day – but it might just happen anyway by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
marriage back in January 2015, has issued a new injunction forbidding the state from enforcing its old laws limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples. In her June 8 ruling, Granade specifically
How much Pride is too much Pride? The City of Seattle, in particular the Office of Economic Development, recently found itself having to ponder an answer to that question when the organizers of the Capitol Hill Pride Festival requested permits to expand their annual Saturday street fair event on Broadway to Pride Sunday. Going from one day to two, with the second day falling on the same day as downtown’s behemoth Seattle Pride Parade (the fourth largest in the nation) and the equally massive Seattle Center event, PrideFest (the largest
see FEDERAL JUDGE page 16
see CAPITOL HILL PRIDE page 8
US District Judge Callie Granade – wordpress.com
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer US District Judge Callie Granade, who struck down Alabama’s ban on same-sex
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June 10, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
DELBENE
continued from cover ing parts of King, Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom counties. Last year, she was appointed to serve on President Obama’s Export Council, an advisory committee on international trade. She also serves as cochair of the New Democrat Coalition’s 21st Century Job Skills Working Group as well as the Congressional Women’s High Tech Caucus, Internet of Things Caucus, Trademark Caucus, and Aluminum Caucus. “It’s truly an honor to be recognized with the 2016 Seattle Women’s Pride Crusader Award,” DelBene said. “We have much to celebrate - not the least of which is full marriage equality in all 50 states. But we also cannot forget how much work remains to be done to ensure full equality for LGBT Americans, who continue to face intolerance and injustice simply for who they are and who they love. Particularly as extremists across the country double down in their attempts to legalize discrimination, we must keep fighting until all Americans have equal rights and protections under the law.” According to Sarah Toce, publisher of The Seattle Lesbian and organizer of the annual Seattle Women’s Pride event, DelBene is an appointed member of the Republicans’ Select Committee to Attack Women’s Health (the name Democrats gave to the panel formed to “investigate” Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers after doctored videos were released by a group of anti-choice extremists – two of whom have since been indicted by a grand jury on felony charges). In her role on the panel, DelBene is fighting to protect women’s access to health care and safeguard the privacy and safety of doctors, patients, and medical students across the country. “I [firmly] believe that medical decisions should be made between a patient and their doctor - not by politicians or employers,” DelBene stated. “Continuing attacks in Congress on women’s health care
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US Rep. Suzan Delbene at SCOTUS
are unacceptable, and I will always be an ongoing proponent for access to contraception and reproductive health services.” It was previously announced on May 20 that Bastyr University Adjunct Professor Ali Tromblay will receive the Seattle Women’s Pride inaugural Community Champion Award. Tromblay has been teaching the next generation of midwives at Bastyr since 2007. Additionally, it was announced on May 12 that Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu will be honored with the organization’s inaugural Luminary Award. The Seattle Women’s Pride Luminary Award is presented to an individual whose purpose is to light the path for others in the LGBT community through their tireless commitment and dedication. Seattle Women’s Pride 2016 is produced by The Seattle Lesbian and is presented by Eastside Women’s Health Center. Comedian Dana Goldberg, voted by Curve magazine as one of the “Top Five Funniest Lesbians in America,” will perform during Seattle Women’s Pride’s iconic one-night-only comedy show. Previous Seattle Women’s Pride performers
have included The Voice’s Vicci Martinez (originally from Tacoma) and Bravo’s Julie Goldman. Lesbian fan-favorite Brooklyn Dicent will open the show and continue as emcee for the remainder of the evening. Seattle Women’s Pride is quickly becoming an integral part of Seattle Pride heritage with national sponsors that include the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Family Equality Council (FEC), New York-based GO Magazine, and Lesbian.com. Additional sponsors include the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, Bastyr University, the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA), Seattle Pride, and Provincetown’s Bride Pride. Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Jennifer Jimenez at jjimenez@eastsidewomenshealth.com. The 21+ event, which takes place June 18 at Q Nightclub, is ASL-interpreted and reservations are highly encouraged. Tickets are $30 for general admission or $45 for VIP (which gets guests up close and personal with Dana after the show) and are available via Stranger Tickets: www. strangertickets.com/events/31940901/comedian-dana-goldberg-at-seattle-womenspride.
June 10, 2016
Seattle Gay News 3
Country Doctor gets $1.2 million for dental clinic City of Seattle funds healthcare facilities by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Country Doctor Community Health Centers will get $1.2 million from the City of Seattle to open a new dental clinic at its Capitol Hill facility. Once open, the clinic will provide “lowbarrier dental care to Medicaid recipients and lower-income individuals,” the City said in a June 8 statement from the Mayor’s office. The grant to Country Doctor is part of a total of $2 million Seattle is giving to local health care services. “I applaud the work of our community health providers to improve the well-being of our most vulnerable residents and families,” Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, thousands more Seattle residents have health care coverage, and now it’s our turn as a City to help expand local access to these critical health services.” According to the City, more than 84,000 Seattle and King County residents have enrolled in Obamacare, many of them covered by Medicaid. The unprecedented demand for health care services demanded new investments from the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) to help community health
Mayor Ed Murray – facebook.com
care facilities expand to meet the need. “Despite the gains made by the Affordable Care Act, we know that many of our neighbors lack the medical care to meet basic,
everyday health needs,” said HSD director Catherine Lester. “Access to quality, affordable and reliable community health care is fundamental, pre-
venting catastrophic health events that often send vulnerable individuals and families into poverty.” Country Doctor first opened its doors in 1971, offering treatment to all comers whether they were insured or not. In addition to its primary care clinic at 500 19th Ave. E., Country Doctor now operates Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center at 2101 E. Yesler Way, and an after-hours clinic at Swedish Hospital’s Cherry Hill campus. In addition to Country Doctor, NeighborCare Health and International Community Health Services also got City funds. NeighborCare received $400,000 to create a health care clinic inside the Dutch Shisler Service Center, located in the Denny Regrade area. The new health care facility will provide services for people who are homeless and vulnerable, the City said. International Community Health Services will receive $350,000 to build an optometry clinic in the International District, which will serve lower-income populations with culturally and linguistically appropriate eye care services. According to the City, over 80% of AsianAmericans suffer from myopia, yet there are only eight optometrists in Seattle that accept Medicaid patients.
Pride ASIA returns to Hing Hay Park for 5th year Trans teen heroine will be keynote speaker By Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Mark your calendars! The fifth annual Pride ASIA event will take place Sunday, June 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at Hing Hay Park in Seattle’s International District. Founded in 2012, Pride ASIA’s mission is to celebrate, empower, and nurture the multicultural diversity of the LGBTQ communities through an Asian/Pacific Islander lens. Pride ASIA is a proud member of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea). A highlight of the group’s milestone fifth-year celebration is the incredible Brooklyn Sabado Buenaventura as keynote speaker. If that name seems familiar it’s because last year, Buenaventura, then a student at Renton High School, became the first-ever Transgender teen to be voted prom queen in Washington state – and one of the first in the nation. She won the title while openly transitioning from her thenmale body that she was born into (“Bruce”) to the person she says she really was all along – Brooklyn. Past keynote speakers at Pride ASIA include Michael Shiosaki, Seattle’s first openly Gay first gentleman and Planning and Development Division Director for Seattle Parks (2012); Ro Yoon, outspoken LGBTQ community advocate and Community Education Coordinator at HIV Vaccine Trials Unit - Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (2013); Norma Timbang, lecturer at the University of Washington School of Social Work, former board member of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, member of Queer Bayan
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Pride Asia – prideasia.org
June 10, 2016
in Seattle, and a board member of the Filipino Community of Seattle (2014); and Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu (2015). Hosted by its founder, Aleksa Manila, Pride ASIA 2016 will feature cultural presentations and speakers from notable Northwest organizations, drag and dance performances, live vocalists, and much more. The event started out, and remains, free and all-ages appropriate. Music will be provided by DJ Moist Towelette (Lu Ying), DJ Legaspi (Irene Legaspi), and DJ Julie Herrera. Pride ASIA is governed by an executive committee of volunteers. The 2016 directors are Aleksa Manila, founder; Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse, co-chair; Devon Yan-Berrong and Yee-shin Huang, logistics and operations; Kince De Vera, fundraising; Atasha Manila and Irene Legaspi, media and advertising; and I work with Pride ASIA and Quyen Luu as a community advisor. Pride ASIA has enjoyed support and sponsorship from Asian Counseling and Referral Service, ASUW Asian Student Commission, Casa de Manila, Devonation, Dignity Seattle, DJ Lu Ying, Gabriela (formerly Pinay Sa Seattle), HIV Vaccine Trials Unit (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center), Jai Thai Restaurant, Kelcema Productions, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, Neighbours Nightclub, Root Table by Tanya, Seattle Counseling Service, Social Outreach Seattle, United Territories of Pacific Islanders Association, Wing Luke Asian Museum, and Seattle Gay News. Hing Hay Park is located at South King Street and Maynard Avenue South. More info on the event is available at www.prideasia.org.
Celebrating 41 Years!
County Council recognizes LGBTQ Pride Month Recognizing accomplishments and continuing challenges to equality
The Metropolitan King County Council today declared June LGBTQ Pride Month, celebrating the accomplishments and history of the region’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities while acknowledging the challenges to their full participation in society.
“In 2011, for the first time ever, the Council declared June Pride Month in King County. We’ve seen significant progress in those years including full marriage equality. Yet, we continue to see attacks on the rights of the LGBTQ community,” said Council Chair Joe McDermott. “LGBTQ Pride Month serves as an opportunity to reflect on our progress and recommit ourselves to the fight for equal rights under the law.” “For me, Pride month is a time to tell our community’s story and to celebrate our community’s fight for justice on all fronts,” said Councilmember Dave Upthegrove. “I am proud to be a member of a community that fights for equal rights, access to justice, and environmental stewardship for everyone all over the state.”
“I am honored today to celebrate our region’s LGBTQ community,” said Council Vice Chair Rod Dembowski. “While we have seen immense progress and success in the past few years, the fight for equality and inclusion is not over. We must continue our work to advance the cause of equal opportunity for everyone.” Pride Month is celebrated in June in recognition of the June 1968 Stonewall Riots in New York, considered the start of the modern movement for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. “As we celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month, we are reminded that we must protect the victories that we have won in the past in protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, but we must also move forward to ensure that discrimination is eradicated completely,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “Only then will there be room at the table for all!”
“The month of June is an opportunity to celebrate one of our County’s greatest strengths, our diversity,” said Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles. “I’m honored to stand beside LGBTQ individuals in our community to celebrate Pride and continue to fight for equal rights.”
“Today we honor our LBGTQ community, and celebrate how far we have come in our evolution as a country that respects the rights and individuality of all people,” said Councilmember Claudia Balducci. “At the same time, we must continue to be vigilant and actively oppose discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity whenever and wherever it occurs.” While there have been a number of accomplishments in LGBTQ residents gaining the rights that most citizens take for granted, there are still challenges for their communities. A number of states have challenged equity laws for the LGBTQ communities with the adoption of “bathroom protection” legislation that would prevent transgender residents from using the bathroom that corresponds to his or
her gender identity.
“Gender Justice League was honored to join the council today in celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month,” said Danni Askini, Executive Director of the Gender Justice League. “At a time when we are seeing increased attacks on the transgender community’s civil rights, we are honored to live in a county whose businesses, elected officials, and public celebrate transgender people an integral part of the fabric of our communities.” King County and the County Council have worked to end discrimination against sexual minorities. In 2012, the County supported marriage equality legislation in Olympia. In 2008, the Council sent an amendment to the King County Charter adding gender identity and expression to the anti-discrimination section to voters, who approved it with a 71 percent yes vote. Seattle’s annual Pride Parade will be held on Sunday, June 27.
P R O C L A M AT I O N WHEREAS, equal access to opportunity and freedom from discrimination are fundamental to ensuring success and personal fulfillment; and WHEREAS, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Americans often still lack equal rights under the law; and WHEREAS, transgender people across the nation face unprecedented levels of discrimination in housing, employment, education, and public accommodation, as well
as attacks on their civil rights; and WHEREAS, the modern movement for LGBTQ equal rights in this country began with the Stonewall Riots in June of 1969; and WHEREAS, King County has been a leader in promoting equality by prohibiting discriminatory policies; and WHEREAS, the City of Seattle held its first LGBTQ celebration 42 years ago in 1974; and
WHEREAS, the Gender Justice League celebrates Trans Pride Seattle, now in its fourth year, on Friday, June 24th; and WHEREAS, on Sunday, June 26th, the annual Seattle Pride Parade will take place, with the theme of this year’s celebration being the “Future of Pride”; and WHEREAS, numerous organizations, such as PrideFest and the Dyke March, celebrate diversity and freedom of expression during the month of June across King
County; NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Metropolitan King County Council, proclaim June 2016 as LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH in King County and encourage all county residents to honor the march toward equality for LGBTQ individuals.
Councilmembers are joined by representatives of the LGBTQ communities as the Council proclaimed the month of June ‘LGTBQ Pride Month’ in King County. Front row: Councilmember Larry Gossett, Louise Chernin, Greater Seattle Business Association, Danni Askini, Gender Justice League, Council Chair Joe McDermott, Councilmembers Rod Dembowski and Jeanne Kohl-Welles. Back row: Councilmember Reagan Dunn, Elayne Wylie, Gender Justice League, Councilmembers Claudia Balducci and Pete von Reichbauer.
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Compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer SATURDAY, JUNE 11 Spokane Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival Pride 25: From Silence to Celebration. www.outspokane.com SATURDAY, JUNE 11 Volunteer Park Pride Festival Experience Seattle Pride’s glorious return to where it all started on Capitol Hill with a celebration of LGBTQ arts, performance and culture in Volunteer Park (14th Ave. E. & E Prospect St.) 12pm-7pm. Enjoy live music, food trucks, beer garden, artist booths, craft/ vintage fair, lawn games. Performances by Hell’s Belles, Selene Vigil et Amicis, Boyfriends, Aeon Fux. Craft and vintage booths curated by Adria Garcia, owner of Indian Summer. www.seattlepride. org. SUNDAY, JUNE 12 Luna Park Street Market 11am-4pm. At Ola Salon and Duos Lounge, 2942 & 2940 SW Avalon Way in West Seattle. All ages. Featuring 40+ local artists, BBQ. beer and cocktails, live music, performances by LA Kendal, Grey City Limit, Fysah. Proceeds benefit Seattle PrideFest and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Abbey of St. Joan. SUNDAY, JUNE 12 South Park LGBTQueer Pride Picnic We have updated the name of the picnic to be as inclusive as we have always been. LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning. Queer is a word many LGBTQ people are reclaiming today, especially younger LGBTQ people. The picnic returns with many familiar faces such as DJ Viquez from the popular Noche Latina club night at Neighbours on Capitol Hill. Isabella will be enchanting us with her drag queen magic again. The South Park Arts Council will feature a kids art table, and the South Park Library will be here with the latest summer reading. We will have new bands this year. You can bet they will be good to dance to. Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold is expected to be in attendance between 2pm and 3pm. And the big news is we’ll have free locally handmade tamales prepared by Carniceria el Paisano (chicken, pork, cheese/vegetarian, while supply lasts) for the first 200 people, starting at 1pm. The event will be held from 1-4pm., at Duwamish Waterway Park (7900 10th Ave. S. at S. Elmgrove St.) on the river. Please bring your own lawn chair or blanket to sit on. You are welcome to bring your own picnic lunch. For more info, visit www.facebook.com/ events/1602249376733605 or contact Randy at gaypridesouthpark@hotmail. com
Cinema’s past year as well as new Seattle and World premieres! June 15 (CC) – Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars @ 8pm; June 16 (NWFF) – To The Limit @ 8pm (with host John Criscitello)(part of the Queer Fan Nights! film series – with host John Criscitello) ; June 17 (Egyptian) – Crocodile Tears @ 7:30pm; Brides to Be (World Premiere) @ 10pm; June 18 (Egyptian) – Best Shorts (Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival/Twist 2015 and Translations Festival faves) @ 12pm; Naz and Maalik (Top Feature Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival/Twist 2015) @ 2pm; Portrait of a Serial Monogamist @ 4:30pm; Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures @ 8pm; Rocky Horror Picture Show @ midnight ($12); June 19 (Egyptian) – Major (Top Documentary Translations Festival 2016) @ 1pm; Last Men Standing (Seattle Premiere) at 4pm; (Robbie) Turner
FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Out & Equal Northwest Regional Summit Join Out & Equal Seattle for the 4th annual Northwest Regional Summit! Drawing participants from San Francisco to Vancouver, BC the Northwest Regional Summit will bring together hundreds of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) professionals and straight allies to share innovative strat-
FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Pride Shabbat Community-provided pre-oneg 6:15pm; service 7pm; va’ad certified light dinner 8:15pm. Kol HaNeshaman (6115 SW Hinds St.). An ASL interpreter will be available for the evening. Pride Shabbat is open to all in the community who wish to join in a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer Jews, their friends, families, and allies. An ASL interpreter will be available for the evening. The location is ADA accessible. Pride Shabbat is a community collaboration co-sponsored by PAVE and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Kol HaNeshamah, Jconnect and Kolenu and Hillel UW, Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, Bet Shira Congregation, Camp Solomon Schechter, Congregation Beth Hatikvah, Congregation Kol Ami, Congregation Tikvah Chadashah, Greater Seattle Business Association, Herzl-Ner Tamid, Holocaust Center for Humanity, Jewish Family Service, Kadima Reconstructionist Community, National Council for Jewish Women, Seattle Hadassah, Temple Beth Am, Temple Beth Or, Temple B’nai Torah, and the Tribe and Temple De Hirsch Sinai. For more information, please contact ClaraC@JewishinSeattle.org The event is FREE! But please register in advance so we know to expect you! http://www.jconnectseattle.org/ events/pride-shabbat FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Diverse Harmony – “Queer It Up!” 7:30pm. Broadway Performance Hall, Broadway & E Pine St. Diverse Harmony is the nation’s first Queer-straight alliance youth chorus. Our 58-member chorus presents music that opens the hearts and minds of communities and provides a safe environment for youth
THURSDAY, JUNE 15-SUNDAY, JUNE 19 2nd Annual Twist of Pride Film Festival A part of Seattle PrideFest, this festival features some of the best films and award winners from Three Dollar Bill
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Classic Movies at 7pm. Venues: June 15 @ Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave), June 16 @ Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave), and June 17-19 @ SIFF Cinema Egyptian Theatre (805 E Pine St). Festival Pass: $75. Single tickets: $10, except $11 for To The Limit, and $12 for Rocky Horror Picture Show. http://www. seattlepridefest.org/twistofpride/
egies to enhance workplace inclusion, visibility, and diversity. Attendees will participate in workshops and hear from business leaders who pioneered welcoming workplaces for diverse professionals. This is an excellent opportunity for your organization to: obtain tools, information, and best practices to impact your organization; recharge your ERG’s leadership and organizational influence; reinvest in your professional development; connect with other companies, ERGs, and community organizations dedicated to advancing workplace equality. Our workshops are invaluable opportunities for all members of your organization to learn about inclusion and diversity. From human resource professionals to employee resource group (ERG) leaders representing both LGBT and non-LGBT employee resource groups, we’re bringing the best of the national Out & Equal Workplace Summit to the Northwest. Come be a part of this exclusive local opportunity and capitalize on the multitude of resources, leading voices, and subject matter experts. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Renaissance Seattle Hotel (515 Madison St.). General registration: $200; late registration (starting 6/6 $350); nonprofit/student: $90 – http://www.outandequalseattle.org/
June 10, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
Portland Pride Parade & Festival Parade steps off at 11 a.m. from W. Burnside St. and NW Park Ave., Portland. Festival from noon-6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park (S.W. Naito Pkwy. and Pine St., Portland) $7 suggested donation at the festival; no one turned away for inability to pay www. pridenw.org.
of diverse backgrounds to share their love of music and be accepted for who they are. (Also, SATURDAY, JUNE 18.) www.diverseharmony.org THURSDAY, JUNE 15-SUNDAY, JUNE 19 2nd Annual Twist of Pride Film Festival (See Thursday, June 15 listing for details on Friday screenings at 7:30pm and 10pm.) FRIDAY, JUNE 17 Capital City Pride Kick-Off All-Ages Street Party @ Oly Underground (109 Legion Way SW, Olympia) at 8pm; Dance Party @ Jake’s on 4th (311 4th Ave. E., Olympia) at 10pm. www.capitalcitypride.net SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Capital City Pride Festival Olympia’s Pride Festival 11am-5pm in Heritage Park (adjacent to the State Capitol Campus) Regional entertainers, food, arts & crafts, booths. www.capitalcitypride. net (Capital City Pride Parade on Sunday, June 19 at 12 noon.) THURSDAY, JUNE 15-SUNDAY, JUNE 19 2nd Annual Twist of Pride Film Festival (See Thursday, June 15 listing for details on Saturday screenings at 12 noon, 2pm, 4:30pm, 8pm and midnight.) SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Portland Pride Festival Festival from noon-6pm. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park (S.W. Naito Pkwy. and Pine St., Portland). $7 suggested donation; no one turned away for inability to pay. www.pridenw.org. (Also Sunday, June 19. 12 noon-6 pm., following the Pride Parade.)
7:30pm. Broadway Performance Hall, Broadway & E Pine St. Diverse Harmony is the nation’s first Queer-straight alliance youth chorus. Our 58-member chorus presents music that opens the hearts and minds of communities and provides a safe environment for youth of diverse backgrounds to share their love of music and be accepted for who they are. (Also, FRIDAY, JUNE 17.) www.diverseharmony.org SUNDAY, JUNE 19 Capital City Pride Parade & Festival Olympia’s Pride Parade starts at noon at the State Capitol Building / Pride Festival 11am-5pm in Heritage Park (adjacent to the State Capitol Campus).
Regional entertainers, food, arts & crafts, booths. www.capitalcitypride. net (Capital City Pride Festival also on Saturday, June 18 at 11am-5pm.) SUNDAY, JUNE 19 Capital City Pride Parade & Festival Olympia’s Pride Parade starts at noon at the State Capitol Building / Pride Festival 11am-5pm in Heritage Park (adjacent to the State Capitol Campus). Regional entertainers, food, arts & crafts, booths. www.capitalcitypride. net (Capital City Pride Festival also on Saturday, June 18 at 11am-5pm.) SUNDAY, JUNE 19
SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Seattle Women’s Pride The third annual Seattle Women’s Pride is THE Pride party for Lesbians (and their friends) in Seattle! From 6-10 pm at Q Nightclub (1426 Broadway). Headlining the event is the one and only Dana Goldberg! You’ve laughed with her on Olivia Cruises and watched her share the stage with Jennifer Lopez and President Obama. And now she’s here for her 2016 show in Seattle! As one of Curve Magazine’s “Top Five Funniest Lesbians in America,” Dana Goldberg will be sure to entertain! Tickets for Seattle Women’s Pride at currently on sale through Stranger Tickets. Reservations highly encouraged. The $30 price point guarantees entry and a raffle ticket for one of the many prizes that will be given away during the evening. The $45 price point guarantees everything above as well as a Meet and Greet with Goldberg and host Sarah Toce post-show. A discount to groups of 10 or more is available and interested parties should contact info@ theseattlelesbian.com to reserve. Sponsored by The Seattle Lesbian – http:// theseattlelesbian.com.
THURSDAY, JUNE 15-SUNDAY, JUNE 19 2nd Annual Twist of Pride Film Festival (See Thursday, June 15 listing for details on Sunday screenings at 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm.) MONDAY, JUNE 20 QLaw Pride Week CLE and Happy Hour 5:30pm at Seattle Municipal Court, 12th Floor Jury Room, 600 5th Avenue. Q-Law, the GLBT Bar Association of Washington is happy to invite you to their Pride Week CLE and Happy Hour co-hosted by King County Superior Court Judges, QLaw Association and QLaw Foundation. This year’s topic is Transgender Legal Issues 101 featuring an overview of the legal issues facing the Transgender community and cultural competency education for attorneys and judicial officials. Panel includes David Ward, legal and legislative counsel for Legal Voice; Marsha Botzer, founder and board member of Ingersoll Gen-
SATURDAY, JUNE 18 Diverse Harmony – “Queer It Up!”
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19 5th Annual Pride ASIA Noon-4 pm at Hing Hay Park (423 Maynard Ave. S.) in Seattle’s Chinatown/ International District. Founded in 2012, Pride ASIA’s mission is to celebrate, empower and nurture the multi-cultural diversity of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Ally communities through the Asian-Pacific Islander American lens. This year’s keynote speaker is Brooklyn Buenaventura, who made history as the first Trans-woman to be crowned prom queen at her high school in 2015. This Queer and Asian cultural celebration is hosted by its founder, Aleksa Manila, Miss Gay Filipino 2001 and Miss Gay Seattle 2004. The event will feature music by DJ Legaspi, DJ Moist Towelette and DJ Julie Herrera. The afternoon will feature special presentations by David Leong’s Northwest Kung-Fu, Slam Poet Champion Ebo Barton, Miss Gay API International Tanya Rachinee, Miss UTOPIA Atasha Manila, Performance Artist Kince de Vera and from local organizations including Asian Counseling Referral Service, Gabriela Seattle, Seattle Counseling Service, Seattle Public Library, Gender Diversity, LGBTQ Allyship and more. “Pride ASIA is a special gathering where we celebrate our unique identities and culture,” says co-director Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse, award-winning international cabaret performer. Pride ASIA is a member of the National Queer Asian and Pacific Islander Alliance and Social Outreach Seattle. This is a FREE all ages event. www. PrideASIA.org.
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CAPITOL HILL PRIDE continued from cover
outdoor free Pride festival in the nation), is literally too much Pride for the city to handle in terms of resources, say officials. In short, Pride Sunday strains city resources already. So an expansion is out of the question. “Due to a number of different major events the weekend of June 26th, and factoring in available Seattle Police Department staff resources, it isn’t feasible to accommodate a second day for the Capitol Hill Pride Festival this year,” Joe Mirabella, director of communications for the Seattle Office of Economic Development and Office of Film and Music, said in a statement to the Capitol Hill Seattle (CHS) Blog. “Consequently, Seattle’s Special Events Committee declined the Capitol Hill Pride Festival organizers’ request to add a second festival day, Sunday, June 26th.” According to Mirabella, the festival organizers appealed the decision but were recently notified that the denial was upheld. “The decision to decline the additional day does not affect the historical Saturday Capitol Hill Pride Festival event date, which will occur on Saturday, June 25th,” Mirabella clarified. The 2016 Seattle Dyke March, which shares Broadway with the festival on Saturday night, will continue as planned, as it is not affected by the street fair’s permit issues. Dykes on Bikes is scheduled to lead the march this year. Organizers Charlotte LeFevre and Philip Lipson, who used to operate the Seattle Museum of Mysteries on Broadway, said that despite the denial of an expansion permit for Sunday, the festival will “go forward with Sunday,” “unpermitted or not.” According to LeFevre, permit applications were submitted to the Seattle Office of Film and Music and the Special Events Committee in February, but she didn’t receive the denial of a second day until May 13. “And to not get any response back for five months and to get something back
with less than 45 days left is unfair,” she told Capitol Hill Times. But LeFevre was told by Seattle’s Special Events Committee that she must work with area businesses to secure approval for the second day of the festival, according to the special events committee’s chairman, Chris Swenson. They ultimately denied the permit request. Swenson says the committee also denied Capitol Pride Festival’s request to close off Broadway and East Roy Street, citing concerns about access to public transit. According to officials, “The proposed additional closure on Broadway Avenue East would eliminate the only suitable location for the temporary re-route of Metro Route 60, which would result in service interruption to Chinatown/ID, Beacon Hill, Georgetown, and South Park.” According to LeFevre, the Capitol Hill Pride Festival was created when Seattle Pride moved from the neighborhood to downtown. The festival is well attended. LeFevre said she made her case to the Special Events Committee several years ago that there is an underlying civil rights cause for the festival and that there should be no barriers to people assembling for it, even for more than a day. Although she says many events, such as the Capitol Hill Block Party, are allotted more than a day, LeFevre seems to forget just how big Seattle’s Pride Parade is and the fact that city resources are also used at PrideFest, which, if her permits were approved, would happen simultaneously. Also, while people could theoretically attend both the parade and the festival on Broadway, in reality most people would feel as though they would be forced to make a decision as to which one they would attend. The request to expand also asks the bigger question, “Is it really needed?” LeFevre says yes. “You don’t have to be marching in a march with your fist in the air,” she said. “Yes, we have restaurants and booths and vendors, but it’s being out in your community, it’s being out of the bars, it’s being in public.”
That argument is all well and good except for the fact that the Seattle Pride Parade and PrideFest are also out of the bars, in public, and outside. They are also free of any admission charge. Additionally, LeFevre often talks about the Broadway event as a civil rights cause but the reality is it is an outdoor street festival in which organizers charge for booth rentals - not a march for civil rights. There is a big, distinguishable difference between the two. Capitol Hill Pride Festival is a great event and does provide some level of visibility for the LGBTQ community. Seattle Gay News in no way opposes it. However, the use of the LGBTQ equality movement as a reason why the organizers should be allowed to expand the festival is not something that should be taken lightly by the community. Case in point: if you go to the Capitol Hill Pride Festival website (www.capitolhillpridefestival.info) you will see that organizers are using the slogan “Stonewall, Never Forget!” But the festival’s official 2016 theme is “Wizard of Oz Because there is no place like Home! Get your Wicked On! Get ready for two days of fun! Six blocks on Broadway of food, vendors and entertainment!” Again, what does Stonewall have to do with any of that? Last year, Capitol Hill Pride Festival added a Broadway parade and rally despite the lack of support and an unanswered call by LeFevre to SPD that they add officers to the East Precinct shift that night to help protect people at the festival and during the march and rally. When SPD denied that request, due in part to sending resources to a barbeque event in which SPD was engaging with the public in a positive way, she protested their presence in Cal Anderson Park and demanded that they not be allowed to hold their event during the same time as the Capitol Hill Pride Festival, citing (of all reasons) that Stonewall was a police riot. Seattle Gay News did not take a position on the matter because, again, this is between a festival organizer and a city department. But to once again summon Stonewall as if it has anything to remotely do with a request by festival organiz-
Free health clinic seeks volunteers by Deborah Daoust Special to SGN
Seattle/King County Clinic returns to KeyArena at Seattle Center on Oct. 27-30, with an ambitious goal of providing over $3.5 million in free dental, vision, and medical services to people in need. To realize this target, the Clinic seeks health care professionals and general support volunteers to fill a broad range of functions and shifts. Now in its third year, Seattle/King County Clinic is the largest event of its kind ever undertaken in the state of Washington. Produced in partnership with Group Health, the City of Seattle, Philips Healthcare, Public Health-Seattle & King County, and more than 100 health care organizations, civic agencies, nonprofits, and private businesses, it brings together thousands of volunteers and
8 Seattle Gay News
the organizing and event expertise of Seattle Center to address acute health issues among vulnerable and underserved populations and introduce patients to local resources that can help provide continued care. The clinic anticipates the need for 1,000 volunteers on each day, and it also seeks volunteers in the days and weeks before and after the four-day event to help in preparation and wrap-up. The number of patients served each clinic day depends on the number of registered volunteers. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and may register at www.seattlecenter.org/volunteers. Since the inception of Seattle/King County Clinic in 2014, more than 5,300 volunteers have participated, donating collectively 71,000 hours of time. Clinic outcomes speak to the accomplishments of this immense effort in responding to a profound need in our community for accessible and affordable
June 10, 2016
health care. Patients can receive a variety of services ranging from dental fillings and extractions, eye exams, physicals, behavioral health care, and social work to prescription eyeglasses, immunizations, laboratory tests, mammograms, ultrasounds, and x-rays. In its first two years, the Clinic provided $6.1 million in direct services to 7,400 patients who came from 247 unique zip codes and spoke 37 primary languages. Producing an event on this scale represents the serious dedication of a caring community to address health care issues at the local level, to make a difference for the most vulnerable among us. By meeting immediate health care needs, providing referrals for ongoing care, and raising the visibility of this issue within the broader community, it is hoped that this event will positively impact the health of the
ers for more police protection - and then to protest their presence in a public park after their request is denied - is a stretch. LeFevre received notice Monday that a meeting will be set with Swenson to discuss if there is any way to make the Capitol Hill Pride Festival extension feasible. She told Capitol Hill Times that if they don’t reach an agreement about extending the festival, there is talk of a sitin on Saturday night, adding organizers will not pull barricades from the street as long as people are still there, arguing they have a responsibility to ensure participants’ safety. LeFevre said she feels city departments are “playing favorites” with Seattle Pride, which used to hold its annual parade in Capitol Hill. Again, that just doesn’t add up. The Pride Parade is 10 times the size of her event and takes up many more resources - and, in fact, there are many other outdoor, free, Pride events held on Capitol Hill that give the LGBTQ community visibility and that are all inclusive. These include: Volunteer Park Pride Festival Volunteer Park June 11, noon – 7 p.m. www.seattlepride.org/events/picnic/ Trans Pride Seattle Cal Anderson Park June 24, 5 p.m. www.transprideseattle.org/ Capitol Hill Pride Capitol Hill Light Rail Station Lot & Denny Way June 25, noon – 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/ events/622134261271399/ Capitol Hill Family Pride Cal Anderson Park June 25, 1 – 4 p.m. www.facebook.com/ events/1740488046189293/ Queer Youth Pride Cal Anderson Park June 25, 4 – 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/ events/1740488046189293/
region and raise awareness of the scale of those left out of the current health care system. For more information, visit www.seattlecenter.org or call (206) 684-7200. Courtesy Seattle Center
keyarena.com
Celebrating 41 Years!
Olympia Pride marks 26th year and 19, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Heritage Park, Water and 7th Ave. S.E. Features music, food booths, a bounce-house for the kids, and lots more. Parade: Sunday, June 19, noon to 1 p.m., down Capitol Way from the Capitol to Heritage Park. Pre-show 11 a.m. to noon at the intersection of Capitol and Legion Way.
“Solidarity Through Pride” is the theme of this year’s Olympia Parade and Festival, the 26th annual event hosted by Capital City Pride and scheduled for Friday through Sunday, June 17-19. The celebration is family-friendly, free, and open to the public. Here is a brief schedule of events: Kick-off: Friday, June 17, 8 p.m. – Allages Street Party in front of Oly Underground (109 Legion Way), featuring music, drag performances, speeches, and a fire show (at 9 p.m.). Festival: Saturday and Sunday, June 18
Pride 2016 brings together the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, and allied communities to celebrate, promising something for everyone. According to Pride Chair Anna Schlecht, “What a difference 26 years makes! We launched our small town Pride 26 years ago with 400 people marching on the Capitol for Gay rights. Now, we are one of the biggest summer festivals around. Since then, we have made huge strides toward full equality and the greater Olympia area embraces us and the Pride Festival as part of the community. Once again, we hope to paint the town rainbow and we invite everyone to join us in celebrating Pride 2016!” The entertainment lineup offers exciting new performers and old favorites. This year, Pride brings Whitney Monge, a
singer/songwriter from Seattle whose alternative soul music is taking the region by storm. The Pride Festival also features crowd favorites like the Kim Archer Band, an R&B band from Tacoma that is one of the hardest-working dance bands in the Pacific Northwest. Also returning will be Xavier Toscano and his high-octane dancers from the San Francisco Bay Area. Also returning this year is the awe-inspiring Caravan of Glam from Portland, a vaudeville-meets-drag troupe who are coming off their star turn on America’s Got Talent. Other musical surprises are in store over the long Pride weekend. The Pride Parade is always the highlight of Pride. Entries will include flashy floats, marching contingents wearing rainbowthemed bling, and drag queens from near and far who will serve up that marvelous concoction of Las Vegas-styled glamour on high heels. According to Gina Thompson, parade coordinator, “While I’ve worked on the parade for a couple years, this is my first time coordinating it. I love how our Parade not only celebrates the diversity within our community but proudly and tastefully displays it for all to enjoy.” Thompson contin-
ues, “Pride is a family-friendly event that invites the general public in not only recognizing the sacrifices and efforts that went into this cause, but also honors the achievements and the future of our GLBTQ community. That’s something that I am very proud to be a part of.” With nearly 100 booths, a robust family activity center and the ever-popular Fabulous Food Court, Pride 2016 will spring up like a one-weekend LGBTQ city near Capitol Lake. Encircled by banners and tall rainbow flags, the Pride Festival grounds create the perfect place to honor diversity and celebrate Pride Olywa! Pride Day has grown since 1991 to become one of the most vibrant community festivals in the Thurston County area. As the first Northwestern small-town Pride outside the safety of a big city, the Olympia Pride Festival has grown from a small march for equality to one of the largest festivals in the County. For more information, visit Capital City Pride on Facebook or at www.capitalcitypride.net. Courtesy Capital City Pride
Brooklyn bishop tried to bribe me, NY lawmaker charges
Bishop asked her to quit supporting victims of child abuse by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Roman Catholic bishop of Brooklyn tried to bribe a New York state assemblywoman, according to a sensational story in the on June 7. Assemblywoman Margaret Markey says Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio offered her $5,000 if she would drop her advocacy on behalf of victims of abuse by Catholic priests. As a state lawmaker Markey was a sponsor of legislation to extend the statute of limitations on child abuse, which would allow for the prosecution of many priests. According to Markey, the bishop invited her to his chancery office in 2007 and handed her $5,000. A nun was also present, she said. Markey spokesperson Michael Armstrong told the that DiMarzio suggested that Markey use the money for therapy for a family member who had been sexually abused as a child. After Markey turned him down, the bishop ran robocall ads against her in the 2008 election, saying she “doesn’t have Catholic values.” “I do have Catholic values,” Markey told the , “but my Catholic values don’t include raping children.” Markey easily won re-election. She hadn’t intended to go public with the charges against DiMarzio, she said, but a recent
demonstration she attended with survivors of abuse by Catholic priests moved her to action. DiMarzio can’t be prosecuted for bribery because both New York State and federal statutes of limitations have already run out. Nevertheless, survivor advocates said the bishop’s offer was nothing less than bribery. “I’d call that shut-up money,” advocate and abuse survivor Kathryn Robb said. “He tried to pay her to shut up, right? That speaks for itself.” DiMarzio’s office has denounced Markey’s claims as “patently false.” “The bishop did not, would not, and has never attempted to bribe an elected official or anyone else,” said Carolyn Erstad, a spokesperson for the Brooklyn diocese. “This is a very serious allegation against a clergyman with an impeccable reputation. It is beyond comprehension that an elected official would not report an alleged crime of this kind to the proper authorities. She did not report it. It is not true. And it would be irresponsible for your paper to print it.” DiMarzio was one of the signers of the 2009 Manhattan Declaration, a proclamation by conservative religious leaders that Christians should not comply with laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage, or other issues that go against their religious consciences. In 2011 he said that lawmakers who voted for same-sex marriage should be barred from Catholic churches and parochial school events.
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Assembly woman Margret Markey – timesunion.com
June 10, 2016
Seattle Gay News 9
New tenant protections passed in Seattle “Carl Haglund Law” will block rent increases in buildings deemed unsafe by Dana Robinson Slote Special to SGN
Kshama Sawant – publicbroadcasting.net
In a unanimous vote, the Seattle City Council adopted legislation June 6 that prohibits rent increases on properties with housing code violations. Dubbed the “Carl Haglund Law” after a Seattle landlord with a history of tenant complaints, the measure was sponsored by
Council member Kshama Sawant (3rd Dist.) and comes after months of organizing by tenant activists and housing justice leaders. “Landlords keeping their properties in unlivable conditions while simultaneously raising rents is a horrendous practice that has been legal and all too common,” said Sawant. “I’d like to thank everyone who fought in this struggle. We will use this victory to bolster our movement and expand the fight to win a full-fledged tenants’ bill of rights; build thousands of high-quality, publicly owned affordable housing units; and overthrow the state ban on rent control.” Sawant went on to urge anyone who faces substandard housing conditions to contact her
office. “We will need to work together, form more tenants’ unions, and continue to organize and build our movement to shift the balance of power away from big landlords, slumlords, and Wall Street speculators to tenants and ordinary working people in Seattle,” she added. The new legislation will take effect 30 days after being signed into law by Mayor Ed Murray. Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD channels 321 (Comcast) and 721 (Wave), and streamed on the council’s website, www. seattle.gov/council/. Courtesy Seattle City Council
Intel chief defends rights of Transgender community by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Following the lead of U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper weighed in on the national debate about Transgender bathroom access June 8, becoming the latest high-level government official to voice support for the community. Clapper addressed the issue directly, declaring in a press release that when it comes to facilities within his buildings, “You can use whatever restroom you feel comfortable and safe in.” The press release was issued just before he began speaking at the Fifth Annual Intelligence Community Pride Sum-
mit, held at Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “I won’t dwell on the issue of Transgender rights,” his statement said. “I know our nation is currently engaged in a complex conversation with strong feelings on both sides. But here in the IC [intelligence community], we have the chance to lead by example.” The press release noted that Clapper is a “self-proclaimed ‘intelligence geezer’ whose own professional experience parallels Americans’ changing attitudes toward the LGBTQ community.” He was joined at the Pride Summit by FBI Director James Comey and DIA Di-
TRUMP
said. “I didn’t think it was necessary. But you know, they have to say what they have continued from cover to say. I’m a big boy. They have to say what ing attack on Judge Gonzalo Curiel. they have to say.” Curiel, a federal district judge since The day before the Time interview, 2012, is hearing a lawsuit against Trump Trump released a statement saying he’d and his creation, Trump University. Trump been misunderstood. He didn’t mean the has repeatedly charged that Curiel is biased attack on Curiel to be interpreted “as a catagainst him because the judge “is a Mexi- egorical attack against people of Mexican can.” heritage,” he claimed. The remarks ignited a firestorm of conBut by then the damage had already troversy, with even Republican leaders call- been done. ing them “racist.” House Speaker Paul Ryan – who had In a June 8 interview with Time, Trump formally endorsed Trump only hours beconfessed that “I was disappointed and sur- fore the verbal assault on Curiel’s ethnic heritage – called his remarks the “textbook prised” by their criticism. “I had just won more votes than anyone definition of racist comments.” “I regret these comments that he made,” in the history of the party, so I was a little Ryan said, adding that the comments were bit surprised when they said that,” Trump
10 Seattle Gay News
June 10, 2016
rector Vincent Stewart – a rare moment for all three government officials to speak to one group together. Clapper thanked LGBTQ activists for their tireless work, before acknowledging the challenges for the community going forward. “When I consider the injustices still experienced, highlighted for example by the ongoing national debate over the rights of Transgender Americans, I know, yet still, our work is not done,” he said.
“indefensible... I think that should be absolutely disavowed.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also castigated Trump for his comments, calling on him to “get on message.” “We have plenty of issues,” McConnell told reporters. “And my advice to our nominee would be to start talking about the issues that the American people care about and to start doing it now. “In addition to that, it’s time to quit attacking various people that you competed with or with various minority groups in the country and get on message,” he said. “This election is eminently winnable.” Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders emerged from a June 9 meeting with Pres. Obama to tell reporters
James Clapper – wikipedia.com
he “looked forward” to working with rival Hillary Clinton to defeat Trump. “I spoke briefly to Secretary Clinton on Tuesday night and I congratulated her on her very strong campaign,” Sanders told reporters. “I look forward to meeting with her in the near future to see how we can work together to defeat Donald Trump and to create a government which represents all of us and not just the one percent.”
Celebrating 41 Years!
YOU ARE INVITED TO
Vintage Eyewear Party FEATURING FRAMES FROM THE
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Saturday, June 25 5-8 PM 1317 E Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98122 Hundreds of affordable, never-before-worn and refurbished optical frames to choose from. Original designs by Valentino, Cazal, YSL, Gucci, Armani, Emmanuel Khahn, Mikli, Persol and more.
Homeless youth Off the streets Preparing for life
Timeless grooves by DJ ZOZ. LGBTQ Youth Center
June 10, 2016
Seattle Gay News 11
your next purchase at uncle ike’s glass & goods
Mention this ad to receive discount. Discount applied to in-store purchases only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Minimum Purchase $10
Portion of the evening’s proceeds to benefit Lambert House and YouthCare.
Visit us online www.sgn.org
12 Seattle Gay News
June 10, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
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June 10, 2016
Seattle Gay News 13
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14 Seattle Gay News
June 10, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!
Virginia school board will take Trans case to SCOTUS by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Gloucester County, Va., school board has asked the US Supreme Court to review a ruling by the 4th Circuit that a Transgender high school student may use restrooms appropriate for his gender identity. On June 7, lawyers for the school board filed a document with the 4th Circuit announcing their intention of appealing to the Supreme Court. “The School Board intends to file a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court within ninety (90) days of this Court’s entry of judgment,” they said. As part of their filing, the school board’s lawyers asked the 4th Circuit to stay its order allowing high school student Gavin Grimm to use the boys’ restrooms at his school. While the circuit court initially granted a stay to allow time for a three-judge panel to consider the request, the panel ruled 2-1 to deny the stay on June 9. A stay would have kept the school board’s Trans-exclusionary restroom policy in place pending a decision by the Supreme Court on whether to review the case. Grimm’s attorneys opposed the stay. Grimm, represented by the ACLU, originally sued the school board for restroom
access based on Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The ACLU echoed the Obama administration’s arguments that Title IX’s prohibitions of discrimination on account of sex also protect gender identity and entitle Grimm – and other Trans students – to gender-appropriate restrooms. Grimm lost the initial round in a federal district court, but in April the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals found in his favor, reversing the lower court. The Obama administration’s interpretation of Title IX was reasonable, the appeals court said, “and is to be accorded controlling weight in this case.” The school board asked for an en banc review of the 4th Circuit finding – a hearing before all 15 active circuit judges – but the court turned them down in May. According to BuzzFeed, the Supreme Court will not consider whether to hear the case until late September at the earliest, after the start of a new school year for Grimm. Unless the Supreme Court orders an emergency stay pending appeal to them, Grimm is now free to use the boys’ restrooms when he returns to school in the fall. Only four Supreme Court justices are required to agree to hear the case, but it’s not clear they will want to intervene at this point while other similar cases are still making their way through the federal court system.
SCOTUS – pbs.org
Five lawsuits arising from North Carolina’s HB 2 are pending in federal courts, and 11 states are suing the Obama administration, challenging its interpretation of Title IX. In addition to having jurisdiction over federal cases in Virginia, the 4th Circuit also supervises federal courts in North
Carolina, and unless it is reversed by the Supreme Court, its decision in Grimm’s case establishes a precedent for handling the North Carolina cases.
Ending Trans discrimination in the workplace New guide helps employers do the right thing The National LGBTQ Task Force and the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights have published a first-of-its-kind resource to help eliminate workplace discrimination against Transgender and gender nonconforming people. The guide, titled “Valuing Transgender Applicants and Employees,” provides indepth best practices intended to help employers across the nation create a genuinely inclusive and welcoming workplace environment for Trans people. “Everyone, including Transgender people, deserves a fair chance at a good-paying job and the ability to provide for themselves and their families,” said Victoria Rodríguez-Roldán, director of the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Trans/Gender Nonconforming Justice Project. “Transgender people face formidable discrimination and harassment in the workplace. This new resource provides vital recommendations for employers and human resource specialists looking to ensure that Transgender people are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.” In the United States, 90 percent of Transgender people report experiencing harassment, discrimination, and mistreatment in the workplace, according to the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey report. A 2015 D.C. Office of Human Rights report, “Qualified and Trans-
gender,” revealed that 48 percent of employers surveyed appeared to prefer at least one less-qualified applicant perceived as cisgender over a more-qualified applicant perceived as Transgender. “While many jurisdictions across the nation do not have explicit protections for Transgender workers, in the District of Columbia we are fortunate to have a strong law that prohibits employment discrimination against Transgender people,” said Mónica Palacio, director of the D.C. Office of Human Rights. “Yet many times employers who want to create welcoming environments are unsure of how best to do that. We believe this best practices guide will be an important starting place for those employers who want to build Transgender-inclusive workplaces.” Currently, 19 states and D.C. have explicit workplace nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity and expression. Among the most progressive and comprehensive nondiscrimination laws that include gender identity or expression is D.C.’s Human Rights Act. “I strongly believe that ensuring all employees are treated with dignity and respect - including Transgender employees - leads to a more productive, creative, and happy workplace,” said Jay Haddock Ortiz, a D.C.-area business owner and president of Capital Hotels and Suites.
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“Adopting strong employment nondiscrimination policies and creating Transg e n d e r- i n c l u s i v e workplaces is good for businesses and good for the country, so I’m excited this new best-practices guide can assist employers who want to build welcoming environments for Transgender employees and all employees, creating a workplace of equal sensitivity to the lives of those we employ. Respect of an individual is the basis of any relationship personal or business.” To read the entire report, visit www. t h e t a s k fo r c e. o r g / valuing-transgenderapplicants-employees. Courtesy National LGBTQ Task Force
June 10, 2016
Seattle Gay News 15
Cyndi Lauper joins HB2 fightback Singer meets with LGBTQ youth in NC, performs benefit concert
Cyndi Lauper – Photo by Gavin Bond
by Stephen Peters and Ben Graumann Human Rights Campaign Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, and LGBTQ equality advocate Cyndi Lauper met with LGBTQ youth on June 4 at the LGBT Center of Raleigh, North Carolina, to learn more about their lives, the challenges they face, and the damaging impact of HB2, the state’s new anti-LGBTQ law championed by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Equality NC issued the following statements hailing Lauper, the co-founder of the True Colors Fund, for using her platform to raise awareness of the harmful effects of HB2 on LGBTQ youth. “Cyndi Lauper is not only an incredibly talented artist, but an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ equality,” said JoDee Winterhof,
FEDERAL JUDGE continued from cover
cited now-deposed Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and his instruction to state probate judges that Alabama law against samesex marriages remains in force. “The failure of the Alabama Supreme Court to set aside its earlier mandamus order [to continue enforcing the old marriage laws] and its willingness to uphold that order in the face of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell demonstrate the need for a permanent injunction in this case,” Granade wrote. “It is clear that the decision by the United States Supreme Court in Obergefell does not provide certainty that the alleged violations will not recur.” As long as the so-called Sanctity of Marriage Amendment and the Alabama Marriage Protection Act remain on the books, Granade said, there will continue to be a “live controversy” and potential need for a
16 Seattle Gay News
HRC senior vice president for policy and political affairs. “We are deeply thankful she has taken time to meet with LGBTQ youth in North Carolina and hear firsthand the destructive impact Gov. McCrory’s deeply discriminatory law is having on their lives. It is imperative for the future of these young people and the future of the entire state of North Carolina that HB2 be repealed and replaced by commonsense non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people.” “Cyndi’s visit today – both contributing to Equality NC and highlighting the real problems faced by members of the Transgender community – is crucial in our fight to repeal HB2,” said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC. “We are so grateful for her work, and believe it will continue to make real progress as we defeat the worst anti-LGBT bill in the nation.”
Profits from Lauper’s concert that evening went to Equality NC to aid in their efforts to repeal HB2. Lauper is part of a growing list of artists and entertainers, including members of Dead & Company, Jackson Browne, and members of Pearl Jam, who have publicly committed their time and resources to repealing HB2. The HRC Foundation recently partnered with Lauper’s True Colors Fund and Time Out Youth of Charlotte, North Carolina, to create On Our Own: A Survival Guide for Independent LGBTQ Youth – a guide geared toward older teens and young adults forced to fend for themselves, typically without parental support and often lacking the skills or resources needed to live safely and begin building a successful life. The guide provides practical advice on such essential topics as finding housing, going to school, opening a bank account, getting a
federal court to step in to protect same-sex couples who wish to marry. In May, Moore was suspended from his post because of an ethics complaint filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), based on his refusal to apply the US Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision. Even if Moore is permanently removed, Granade said, two other Alabama Supreme Court justices have said they believe state law barring same-sex marriages is still enforceable. “Justice [Michael] Bolin and Justice [Tom] Parker also stated that the order dismissing the mandamus petitions [this year] was not a ‘decision on the merits,’ indicating that the mandamus order finding Alabama’s marriage statutes constitutional was still in effect,” she wrote. The state attorney general has also “defended this case with vigor from the outset and the challenged statutes remain on the books,” Granade added. While the attorney general has an injunction against him in another marriage case,
that same injunction does not apply to the probate judges who were ordered by Moore to continue enforcing the old law. Consequently, Granade said, it was time to order the state once and for all to stop preventing same-sex marriages. “This judgment makes permanent what most people have known all along – Alabama state officials must abide by the US Supreme Court’s ruling that legalized samesex marriage,” SPLC attorney McCoy said in a June 8 statement. “State officials may not refuse to recognize the legal right of a same-sex couple to marry. This is the law of the land despite Roy Moore’s or the Alabama Supreme Court’s personal beliefs to the contrary.” Shannon P. Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, hailed Granade’s new ruling. “Today’s ruling establishes clearly and finally that all state officials in Alabama must respect same-sex couples’ freedom to marry,” he said. “It is unfortunate that some state offi-
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job, accessing health care, and living on a budget. Across the country, LGBTQ youth are particularly vulnerable to homelessness. Research shows that of the 1.6 million young people affected by homelessness each year, up to 40 percent identify as LGBTQ – even though they make up only five to 10 percent of the overall youth population. Many LGBTQ young people experiencing homelessness say they have been rejected by their families. They also often face harassment or discrimination when attempting to access housing programs and other services. The new guide highlights many LGBTQ-friendly service providers. HB2 compounds the discrimination, harassment, and marginalization that LGBTQ youth in North Carolina already face, particularly Trans youth. HB2 prevents Trans students in public schools from using restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity. It also compels the same type of discrimination against Trans people to take place in publicly owned buildings, including in public universities, major airports, and convention centers. HB2 also eliminates existing municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people (such as those recently passed in Charlotte) and prevents such protections from being passed by cities in the future. Further, it revokes the ability to sue under state employment non-discrimination law on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, religion, national origin, and sex. The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community. Equality NC is a statewide organization working to secure equal rights and justice for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender North Carolinians. For more information, visit www.equalitync.org.
cials, including members of the state judiciary, continued to question their obligations even after the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision last year. Today’s ruling should put any confusion to rest.”
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GOP congressman wants to ban Trans people from DC toilets by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Republican congressman Steve King of Iowa has introduced legislation to ban Transgender people from toilets in the US Capitol and a number of other DC buildings. King submitted the measure as an amendment to a spending bill providing money for the day-to-day operations of Congress. “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to encourage, allow, or require any individual to use any bathroom other than the bathroom of the individual’s biological sex,” King’s amendment reads. In other words, Trans people would be barred from using gender-appropriate restrooms in the Capitol Building, House and Senate office buildings, the Library of Congress, and other buildings under congressional jurisdiction. Under House rules, the amendment must go to the House Rules Committee, which is considering the 2017 legislative branch appropriations bill. If the committee approves King’s amendment, it will then come up for a vote when the House considers the underlying spending bill. According to the Washington Blade, a vote on the spending measure could come within the week. Since Republicans control the House, King should have little problem passing his amendment if House Republican leaders ap-
prove it. While Republicans also have a majority in the US Senate, they lack the 60 votes necessary to bring the measure up for a vote, so even if it passes the House, it is not likely to become law. “Rep. King’s opposition to basic fairness and equality for LGBTQ people is no secret,” HRC government affairs director David Stacy said in a statement.
Steve King – tehiowarepublican.com
“Today he’s proposing an amendment that would tell every Members’ transgender constituents they aren’t welcome to visit the Capitol, the Library of Congress, or a House or Senate office building. Surely the House of Representatives has important work it should be getting done for the American people instead of targeting transgender Americans. The House should reject this harmful and mean-
spirited amendment.” Other amendments proposed by King would bar hiring undocumented immigrants to work in the Capitol or congressional office buildings, empower the Capitol Police to enforce immigration laws, and allow people to carry firearms on Capitol grounds.
Trans TV producer charges Airbnb discrimination No legal remedies available by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
TV producer Shadi Petosky was turned down by an Airbnb host because she is Transgender, she charged in a June 5 tweet. Calling herself “Accidental Transsexual
Shadi Petosky – Photo by Robyn Vanswank
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Travel Activist,” Petoksy wrote on Twitter that “I was denied @Airbnb because I disclosed I’m trans. Airbnb did nothing. Had I not disclosed, I’d be ‘dishonest.’” Petosky said she was travelling to Minneapolis in 2015 and was seeking temporary accommodations. When she made her inquiry about the Airbnb listing, she also disclosed that she was Trans. The host then backed out. “I appreciate your honesty,” the unnamed host wrote. “I have to pass though, but thank you. I have a 13-year-old boy going through puberty. I don’t want him to feel any discomforts in his own home. Again, thanks for your inquiry and your honesty!” She then complained to Airbnb, she says, but the company subsequently honored the host with a “super host” designation on the company website. Petosky’s tweet went viral, leading Airbnb to pull the host from its listings. “Discrimination has no place in the Airbnb community,” the company said in a statement. “We are conducting a comprehensive review and examining what can be done to ensure we resolve these kinds of issues quickly and help make sure everyone is treated fairly,” Airbnb Public Affairs Director Nick Pappas said in a statement to The Guardian newspaper. Petosky is best known for animating the Yo Gabba Gabba! TV show. In 2015 she was involved in another travel mishap when Orlando airport security workers tried to detain her
after a full-body airport scanner revealed that her genitalia did not match her gender expression. Petosky can’t seek a legal remedy in the Airbnb case because the company’s hosts are protected by a legal loophole. Although the state of Minnesota amended its Civil Rights Act in 1993 to protect Trans people from discrimination in housing and services, the law specifically exempts “rental by a resident owner or occupier of a onefamily accommodation of a room or rooms,” which would include the Minneapolis host. An April 26 NPR story reported that Airbnb hosts also discriminate against people of color, a charge that actually led Petosky to go public with her complaint. In a May 1 story in the Washington Post, legal scholars Aaron Belzer and Nancy Leong say that federal civil rights laws have exemptions similar to those found in Minnesota law, meaning that Airbnb hosts can’t be regulated by federal authorities either. One solution, Belzer and Leong argue, would be “to treat all of Airbnb as one big public accommodation” and hold the company responsible for illegal acts of discrimination by individual hosts. Petosky tweeted she is content with just raising the issue. “I don’t need anything,” she wrote. “I have a lot of privilege in travel. Just adding the knowledge that the sharing economy can/does discriminate.”
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der Center, and Denise Diskin, associate with Teller and Associates, PLLC, and moderator Yvonne Curtis, QLaw board member and attorney. CLE: 5:306:30pm (1 hour general CLE credit approved); Happy Hour: 6:30-7:30pm (wine and appetizers). Please RSVP by Friday, June 17. www.q-law.org
their incomparable artistic director and leader, Dennis Coleman. Seattle celebrates the end of an era with an emotional and uplifting concert highlighting the iconic moments of the Choruses’ influence on the Seattle landscape. There will be special appearances by famous and familiar faces. Expect sidesplitting surprises, a smashing collection of greatest hits, and a look ahead to a thrilling future. The evening will be highlighted by a powerful 400-voice tribute to a legend who built the world’s largest LGBT choral organization. Tickets to McCaw Hall Seattle performances are $25-$78 and available at http://www.seattlechoruses.org or over the phone at (206) 388-1400.
TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Pride Mindfulness Gathering Join us in a spirit of mindful celebration and presence. A gathering of LGBT community members with interest in mindfulness practice. Offering a talk and meditation to share reflections within Eastern philosophy and practices. Held in the Tateuchi Room at the Seattle Japanese Garden within the Washington Park Arboretum (1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E.). A private garden tour will precede the event ($6 fee, contact info@dharmabuddies.org for tour pre-registration). Dharma talk at 7pm (admission fee not required). Tea social at 8pm. Hosted by Lotus Sisters and Dharma Buddies – Seattle area meditation groups. TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Out & In: 4th Annual Pride Comedy Showcase with Nico Santos 7:30pm-doors; 8pm-show at SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E. Pine St.). Nico Santos (“Superstore,” “Chelsea Lately”) will be joined by hosts Nick Sahoyah and Elicia Sanchez, along with special guests Marita De Leon, Finn Cottom, Va Nigro, Kathleen Nacozy. Tickets: $20 general admission. http://bit.ly/outandincomedy. Out & In, the brainchild and baby of host Nick Sahoyah, is dedicated to bringing the best Queer comedy to the masses. THURSDAY, JUNE 23 “What Ever Happened to Bianca Del Rio?” – Peaches Christ and Bianca Del Rio 7pm & 9pm at SIFF Cinema Egyptian Theatre (805 E. Pine St.). The Seattle premiere of Christ’s hilarious stage production send-up of the iconic Bette Davis and Joan Crawford film “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” Tickets: Advance VIP Meet & Greet: $100; Adv. Premium GA: $60; Adv. GA: $50; Adv. GA Balcony: $40; Adv Standing Room: $20. http://bit.ly/PeachesBianca. THURSDAY, JUNE 23 “Getting Back to Me” – Scottie Jeanette and Marcy Madden with Status Causey 7:30pm at Town Hall Seattle (1119 8th Avenue at Seneca St.). Scottie Madden’s articulate and unflinching perspective sheds new light on the Transgender experience. Appearing with Marcy, her wife of 27 years, the two will share the inspiring story of their enduring love as they redefined themselves as a new kind of family. Tickets: $5. www.townhallseattle.org. THURSDAY, JUNE 23 Queer Fan Nights! 8pm at Northwest Film Forum (1511 12th Ave.) with pre-show happy hour at 7pm in the theatre lobby. Melodrama Night: Imitation of Life – hosted by The Lady B. Tickets: $11 generals; $8 student/senior; $6 NWFF and Three Dollar
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SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Dignity/Seattle 26th Annual Pride Pancake Breakfast 9am-12 noon at Central Lutheran Church Social Hall (1710 11th Avenue) across from Cal Anderson Park. Complementing the menu for this annual pancake breakfast are scrambled eggs, sausage, watermelon, coffee, tea, and orange juice. Proceeds from the event are used to benefit the good works of many charitable organizations, which in past years have included BaileyBoushay House, Rosehedge/Multifaith Works, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Pride ASIA, CareTeams at Samaritan Center, and others. Breakfast is $7 per person. Raffle tickets will be available @ $1.50 each or 5 for $5. Winners need not be present to win.
Bill Cinema members. THURSDAY, JUNE 23 “You’re Exposed” – A Night of LGBT Stand-Up Comedy Interrupted By Drag 8pm at The Rendezvous Jewel Box Theater (2322 2nd Avenue). Hosted by Erik Taylor, Washington State Mr. Leather 2014. Featuring Madison Lane, Jeffrey Robert, Abbey Drake, DonnaTella Howe, Andy Iwancio, Nick Sahoyah, and Mark Finley. Benefitting Bailey-Boushay House. General seating: $20 donation; VIP seating: $35. Advance tickets and info at https://therendezvous.strangertickets.com. Presented by The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan. THURSDAY, JUNE 23 “Night Club June 23” – Kick-Off Pride ‘80s Style 10pm-2am (VIP doors at 7pm) at Canvas in Sodo (3412 4th Ave. S.). A benefit for Seattle PrideFest and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Abbey of St. Joan. Ticket packages starting at $35. 21+. FRIDAY, JUNE 24 Trans* Pride Annual celebration of the Seattlearea Transgender community. Trans* Pride Seattle will be taking place on Capitol Hill on Friday, June 24th, 2016 in and around Cal Anderson Park. The assembly and line-up to march will begin at 5pm. The march will step off at 6pm sharp and arrive at Cal Anderson Park at 6:30pm. The Trans* Pride Seattle celebration will begin at
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7pm. (NOTE: Due to changes in how Broadway is used in regards to street closures with the advent of light rail in the neighborhood, there is a strong indication that Broadway and the Seattle Central College Plaza will not be available for use as a place to gather prior to the march. Please keep an eye on the Trans* Pride website for updates in 2016.) Trans* Pride Seattle is proud to curate a diverse and powerful group of speakers and performers from around the United States. A few speakers from select local organizations will also be taking the stage to discuss their work and the services and opportunities they offer. In addition, there will be an information and resource fair with a wide variety of community groups and organizations doing outreach. There will also be food trucks and our beloved community out in full force! Organized by Gender Justice League in association with local organizations who support the Seattle-area Trans* and gender nonconforming community. Details at www. transprideseattle.org. FRIDAY, JUNE 24 Seattle Storm Pride Kickoff Game vs. Connecticut Sun 7pm at Seattle Center’s Key Arena (1st Ave. N. & Harrison St.). Tickets at www.wnba.com/storm/tickets/ FRIDAY, JUNE 24 (& SATURDAY, JUNE 25) Seattle Men’s Chorus – “ENCORE!” 8pm at McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St.) Past, present, and future collide as both Choruses join on stage to honor
SATURDAY, JUNE 25 (& SUNDAY, JUNE 26) Capitol Hill Pride Festival March & Rally Celebrate Pride in Seattle’s Gayborhood at this annual street fair – six blocks on Broadway E. from E. John St. to E. Roy St, Saturday: 10am-11pm; Sunday: 10am-7pm. “Never Forget” 1969 Stonewall civic march from Seattle Central College (1701 Broadway) to Main Stage at Broadway & E. Harrison St. steps off at 10 a.m. Theme for 2016: “Wizard of Oz” – Because there is no place like home! Get your wicked on! Live local music, food, and more than 100 booths featuring nonprofits, artists, and commercial vendors. www.capitolhillpridefestival. info. SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Capitol Hill Pride – “To Equality and Beyond” Capitol Hill Pride @ Sound Transit Station/Denny Way (noon-9pm) www.seattlepridefest.org SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Family Pride – “To Equality and Beyond” Family Pride @ Cal Anderson Park (noon-4pm) www.seattlepridefest.org SATURDAY, JUNE 25 18th Annual Rainbow Health Fair From 12 noon-4 p.m. at All Pilgrims Church (500 Broadway E. at E. Republican St.) Join us at the 18th Annual Rainbow Health Fair, an event co-hosted by YWCA Women’s Health Outreach & Gay City during Seattle Pride! Free health services for Trans, Lesbian, Bi,
Celebrating 41 Years!
and Queer women, as well as Trans people of all genders. Come by and find: Bottled Water * Massage * HIV/Hep C Testing * Cholesterol / Glucose Testing * Orca Lift * Healthcare Enrollment * A Chance to Win Prizes * And More! Free mammograms for uninsured people 40+. Insurance welcome. Guarantee your spot and make an appointment now by calling 206-461-4493. For more information and volunteer opportunities: email alyssa@gaycity.org. Visit us at ywcaworks.org.
Get your wicked on! Live local music, food, and more than 100 booths featuring nonprofits, artists, and commercial vendors. www.capitolhillpridefestival. info. SUNDAY, JUNE 26 Seattle Pride Parade Starting at 11 a.m., the parade kicks off at 4th Avenue & Union St., and will proceed north down 4th Avenue to Denny Way and Seattle Center. It will last approximately two and a half hours and will be held rain or shine. www.seattlepride.org/pride-parade/
SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Seattle Pride 2016 Interfaith Celebration Service – “Prayers for the Future” – Every year during LGBTQ Pride, people of many different faiths come together to celebrate diversity. This year we will have speakers from Christian, Jewish, Sufi, Buddhist, New Thought and Pagan traditions. We will also be blessed by the SpiritVision Mass Choir! The service is at 2pm at All Pilgrims Christian Church (500 Broadway E.). You are welcome just as you are! FREE admission. For more information, call 206325-2421.
SUNDAY, JUNE 26 Seattle PrideFest – “To Equality and Beyond” Seattle PrideFest 2016 will be more bedazzling than ever. Four stages, events over four days, dozens of artists, men’s and women’s parties, and over 130,000 attendees. www.seattlepridefest.org/
SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Queer Youth Pride – “To Equality and Beyond” Queer Youth Pride @ Cal Anderson Park (4-7pm) www.seattlepridefest.org SATURDAY, JUNE 25 22nd annual Seattle Dyke March The 2016 Seattle Dyke March is on Saturday, June 25. Rally from 5-7 p.m. at the Seattle Central College Plaza at Broadway and E. Pine St. The March steps off at 7 p.m. to go around Capitol Hill and end in Cal Anderson Park with a rocking after-party. This year the Dykes on Bikes will lead the March for the first time ever. Since 1994, every year on Pride weekend the Dyke March has gathered thousands of supporters at the corner of Broadway and Pine, fighting for the visibility, inclusion, and survival of queer women in Seattle and around the world. The voices of the LGBTQ community and Pride weekend events have always been overwhelmingly male, and so we reserve our stage to shine a spotlight on the experiences, pleasures, activism, and identities of queer women and dyke-identified people across the gender spectrum. The Seattle Dyke March is not a parade; it is a solidarity demonstration in support of dyke voices and experiences, and focuses on our community’s wants, needs, and demands. www.seattledykemarch.com/ SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Gayzer Laser Light Show After a popular debut in 2015, the Pacific Science Center & Three Dollar Bill Cinema are bringing back the Gayzer Laser Light Show to the Pacific Science Center Laser Dome at Seattle Center! Start your Saturday night right on June 25 at 6pm, or chill out after Sunday’s Pride festivities at 6pm. It’s a collection of hit songs by LGBT artists and icons with a stunning visual display. Fun for all ages! Tickets available at (800) 664-8775 or https://www.pacificsciencecenter.org
SATURDAY, JUNE 25 HEYO’s Gender*Fierce Youth Variety Show and GLSEN Washington’s Youth Pride Dance 7pm-12 midnight at All Pilgrim’s Church, Stuart Hall (500 Broadway E. at E. Republican St. FREE Youth Pride Event! This year HEYO’s Gender*Fierce youth variety show and GLSEN Washington’s Youth Pride Dance are coming together! Come join us the Saturday of Pride weekend and watch the awesome talents of our LGBTQ+/allied youth community at Gender*Fierce, and stay to celebrate with us at the Youth Pride Dance! Doors open at 7pm and the performances start at 7:30pm. The dance party begins at 9:30pm and the event will conclude at midnight! The event is free and open to the public. Food and refreshments will be provided. Advance registration is strongly encouraged as capacity is limited. To register, click the ticket link – ht tps://w w w.facebook.com/ events/1196133247065400/ and fill out the online form. Gender*Fierce is for all ages; Youth Pride Dance is exclusively for youth. The event is free of charge, open to the public, and drug- and alcohol-free. Food and refreshments will be provided. Want to perform at HEYO’s Gender*Fierce? Check the box on our registration page and fill out the application! The show features the whole gender and sexuality spectrum. Priority will be given to performers & performance pieces that showcase the diversity of this spectrum.
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Questions? Email: HEYO at: heyo@ lifelong.org or GLSEN Washington at: mail@glsenwa.org SATURDAY, JUNE 25) (& FRIDAY, JUNE 24) Seattle Men’s Chorus – “ENCORE!” 8pm at McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St.) Past, present, and future collide as both Choruses join on stage to honor their incomparable artistic director and leader, Dennis Coleman. Seattle celebrates the end of an era with an emotional and uplifting concert highlighting the iconic moments of the Choruses’ influence on the Seattle landscape. There will be special appearances by famous and familiar faces. Expect sidesplitting surprises, a smashing collection of greatest hits, and a look ahead to a thrilling future. The evening will be highlighted by a powerful 400-voice tribute to a legend who built the world’s largest LGBT choral organization. Tickets to McCaw Hall Seattle performances are $25-$78 and available at http://www.seattlechoruses.org or over the phone at (206) 388-1400. SUNDAY, JUNE 26 (& SATURDAY, JUNE 25) Capitol Hill Pride Festival March & Rally Celebrate Pride in Seattle’s Gayborhood at this annual street fair – six blocks on Broadway E. from E. John St. to E. Roy St, Sunday: 10am-7pm; Saturday: 10am11pm. “Never Forget” 1969 Stonewall civic march from Seattle Central College (1701 Broadway) to Main Stage at Broadway & E. Harrison St. steps off at 10 a.m. Theme for 2016: “Wizard of Oz” – Because there is no place like home!
June 10, 2016
SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Gayzer Laser Light Show After a popular debut in 2015, the Pacific Science Center & Three Dollar Bill Cinema are bringing back the Gayzer Laser Light Show to the Pacific Science Center Laser Dome at Seattle Center! Start your Saturday night right on June 25 at 6pm, or chill out after Sunday’s Pride festivities at 6pm. It’s a collection of hit songs by LGBT artists and icons with a stunning visual display. Fun for all ages! Tickets available at (800) 664-8775 or https://www.pacificsciencecenter.org THURSDAY, JUNE 30 Queer Fan Nights! 8pm at Northwest Film Forum (1511 12th Ave.) with pre-show happy hour at 7pm in the theatre lobby. Eurovision Night: Iconic song performances – hosted by Richard & Kevin. Tickets: $11 generals; $8 student/senior; $6 NWFF and Three Dollar Bill Cinema members. FRIDAY, JULY 1 - SUNDAY, JULY 3 Emerald City Softball Association – 2016 Emerald City Classic www.emeraldcitysoftball.org (See details under TOURNAMENT menu) SATURDAY, JULY 2 - MONDAY, JULY 4 Seattle Tennis Alliance - 2016 Seattle Classic www.seattletennisalliance.org (See details under EVENTS menu SATURDAY, JULY 30 Emerald City Black Pride 7pm-2am at Northwest African American Museum (2300 S. Massachusetts St.) Dance party celebration with food trucks and museum viewing social. Sponsored by the Center for MultiCultural Health. OUT-OF-TOWN (IN JULY) FRIDAY, JULY 1- SUNDAY, JULY 10 Victoria, BC Pride A week of events and activities culCONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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minating in the annual Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday, July 10. www.victoriapridesociety.org Tacoma Pride Festival: Celebrate Pride in the City of Destiny: July 8-July 16 – http://tacomapride.org/ SATURDAY, JULY 9 Out in the Park – Tacoma’s annual LGBTQA Pride Celebration Noon-5 p.m., Broadway between 9th and 11th streets. Tacoma’s Official PRIDE celebration takes place as an outdoor street festival in downtown Tacoma at the Pierce Transit Park. Out in the Park is a family friendly festival that includes street side vendor booths and live performances by musical groups, drag acts, dignitaries and speakers on the Main Stage. A secondary stage features performances for both the young and the young at heart. www.rainbow-
cntr.org. Tacoma Pride Festival: Celebrate Pride in the City of Destiny: July 8-July 16 – http://tacomapride.org/ SATURDAY, JULY 9 Bellingham Pride Family Picnic Come enjoy a picnic at noon in Bloedel Donovan Park (2214 Electric Ave.) with the entire Bellingham Pride f a m ily (that includes you!). Donations gratefully accepted to cover the cost of food. www.bhampride.org/events.shtml SATURDAY, JULY 9 Bellingham Annual ISCEE Pride Drag Show (21+) Doors 6:30 p.m. Show at 7:30 p.m. Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.) $5 cover. Annual Rumor’s Pride Celebration to follow. www.bhampride.org/events.
shtml SATURDAY, JULY 9 Bellingham Rumors Pride Celebration (21+) 10 p.m.-2 a.m. (close), Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.), cover. www. bhampride.org/events.shtml SUNDAY, JULY 10 Bellingham Pride Parade Noon. Starts at Ohio & Cornwall, travels along Cornwall Ave., ends at Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Ave.). More info at http://www.bhampride. org/events.shtml SUNDAY, JULY 10 Bellingham Pride Festival Until 4:00 p.m., Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Ave.). Features various vendors, children’s
activities, appearances by local and state dignitaries. Come join the fun! www.bhampride.org/events.shtml SATURDAY, JULY 16 Kitsap Pride – “Solidarity Through Pride” Kitsap Pride’s annual celebration, noon to 5 p.m., at Evergreen Park (1500 Park Ave.) in downtown Bremerton. www.kitsappride.org. SUNDAY, JULY 31 Vancouver (B.C.) Pride Parade & Festival Parade begins at noon in Vancouver’s downtown/West End at Robson and Thurlow streets and proceeds via Denman to festival site at Sunset Beach. Sponsored by Vancouver Pride Society. www.vancouverpride.ca.
Melbourne wins Gay Rugby World Championship in Nashville
trophy – Photo by Chris Malone
by Thomas Hormby Nashville Ruggers Special to the SGN The Melbourne Chargers have won the 2016 Bingham Cup, held in Nashville from May 26-29, 2016. The Bingham Cup is the world championship of Gay rugby and is one of the largest Rugby Union tournaments in the world. The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament is named after Mark Bingham, a Gay rugby player who died on United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. Mark played for UC Berkeley and the San Francisco Fog RFC and was one of the founding members of International Gay Rugby (IGR), a registered non-profit dedicated to promoting equality and diversity in the
20 Seattle Gay News
sport. He was also involved in the founding of the Gotham Knights RFC, the Gay and inclusive team in New York City, at the time of his death. The Melbourne Chargers defeated the San Francisco Fog and the Washington DC Renegades A before facing the Sydney Convicts in the final game for the Bingham Cup. The final score was 20-7 with Sydney scoring and converting a try in the final minutes of an exciting match. This was the first time the club won the Bingham Cup. The Nashville Grizzlies Gay rugby team hosted the 2016 tournament and welcomed over 1300 players and hundreds more spectators, coaches and supporters to Nashville for a week of events leading up the tournament itself. In addition to nightly social events, Raptors Coach Andre Snyman hosted player and coaches clinics and instructors from Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network were on hand for suicide prevention training for all interested players. The tournament officially kicked off at the opening ceremony at Vanderbilt University. Mayor Megan Barry, State Representative John Ray Clemmons, Vice Mayor David Briley and Athlete Ally founder Hudson Taylor and many other local and regional officials welcomed players from around the world to Nashville. Mayor Barry put on a Grizzlies jersey presented to her as honorary co-chair of the host committee. Pool play began on Friday, May 27 and continued through Sunday morning when the final brackets were determined. The Nashville Grizzlies, hosts of the tournament, won their third trophy in club history, taking the Hoagland Shield. “This tournament was a journey and we
June 10, 2016
Melbourne Chargers – Photo by Chris Malone
are so proud to have played to our full potential and won the Bingham Cup. Everything we did on and off the field was for the team as a whole. Our game against Sydney was the final challenge and we made history today,” said Chargers captain, Iain Abbot. “The IGR trustees, board and community would like to thank all of the participants, officials and supporters of the 2016 Bingham Cup. The 8th Annual Bingham Cup was our largest, safest and most successful ever. We would especially like to congratulate the Melbourne Chargers on their win of the Bingham Cup championship over the Sydney Convicts, through outstanding athletic performance and awardwinning sportsmanship,” said outgoing IGR Chairman Jeff Wilson. “Everyone involved with the Bingham Cup 2016 tournament would like to thank the city of Nashville, all of volunteers, and all the teams that came so far to participate.
A big congratulations goes out to the Melbourne chargers on their win!” said Bingham Cup organizing committee chairman Jon Glassmeyer. Bingham Cup VIII Results: • Bingham Cup - Melbourne Chargers A • Bingham Plate - Gotham Knights A • Bingham Bowl - World Barbarians •Bingham Shield - Washington Renegades B • Hoagland Cup - Caledonian Thebans • Hoagland Plate - San Diego Armada • Hoagland Bowl - Columbus Coyotes • Hoagland Shield - Nashville Grizzlies A • Hoagland Vase - Kings Cross Steelers C • Hoagland Jug - Ottawa Wolves • Challenger Cup - Dallas Lost Souls • Challenger Julep - Chicago Dragons B Seattle Quake Rugby will celebrate their return to Seattle from the Bingham Cup at the Seattle Eagle (314 E. Pike St.) this Saturday, June 11 at 9 p.m.
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religion & spirituality
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June 10, 2016
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Please join us for the Washington Won't Discriminate Campaign Kickoff
FRIDAY, JUNE 17TH, 2016 • 5:30 TO 7:30 P.M. Amazon Event Center • 2021 7th Avenue, Seattle WA, 98121
CO-HOSTS $1,000
SPONSOR $500
GUEST $250
*In order to attend, you must RSVP. IDs will be checked upon entry Paid for by Washington Won’t Discriminate, 119 1st Ave South, Suite 320, Seattle WA, 98104
Top 5 Contributors: Pride Foundation, Freedom for All Americans, Legal Voice, Transgender Law Center, ACLU of Washington
FRIEND $100