SGN Jun 14, 2019 - Part 1

Seattle Gay News

Americans support legal protections for LGBT by 7 points, Gallup says

Not much change over 2017 poll

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

A majority of Americans support the idea of adding new federal civil rights laws to protect LGBT people, according to a new Gallup poll.

When asked “Do you think new civil rights laws are needed to reduce discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people, or not?” 53% of respondents said yes, as opposed to 46% who said no.

see POLL page 9

Vatican issues horrible new directive on Trans people

“Sorry, but you’re confused,” Catholic Church says

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

The Vatican has issued a new directive on Transgender people, accusing them of seeking to “annihilate the concept of nature.” The Vatican describes the document,

titled “Male and Female He Created Them,” as an educational tool for teachers and parents. The 31-page report also encourages doctors to “intervene” on people born intersex, even without parental consent.

see VATICAN page 20

GLAAD statement on Trump Administration banning Pride flags on US Embassy flagpoles

by Drew Anderson GLAAD Director of Campaigns and Rapid Response

Hey, everyone: Remember last week when President Trump tweeted his celebration of June

being LGBTQ Pride Month? Well, in just one week’s time, the Trump Administration has issued THREE attacks on the LGBTQ community. The most recent one came this afternoon [Friday, June 7] when the Trump

see PRIDE FLAG page 6

HRC releases sex discrimination report

WASHINGTON, DC (June 13, 2019)

– Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, published its “Inclusive Interpretations of Sex Discrimination Law,” a report that outlines how

federal courts have developed a consistent legal narrative regarding discrimination against LGBTQ people as constituting unlawful sex discrimination under our nation’s civil rights laws.

see HRC REPORT page 10

Pride Calendar

2019 PRIDE EVENTS CALENDAR

Compiled by SGN Staff

HAPPY LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH FROM SEATTLE GAY NEWS!

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 – MARCH 2020

“In and Out:

Being LGBTQ on Vashon Island” Vashon Heritage Museum (10105 SW Bank Rd, Vashon). Interactive, collaborative exhibit and series of programs that examine and celebrate the long, quiet history of LGBTQ+ people on Vashon-Maury Island, which has the largest per-capita LGBTQ population in Washington State. Curated by Ellen Kritzman and Stephen Silha. Exhibit on display thru March 2020. Info: https:// vashonheritagemuseum.org/exhibition/lgbtqvashon. (Watch this site for news of special events tied to the exhibit.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 –

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

“Queer Clay” at Pottery Northwest Pottery Northwest (226 1st Ave N). What makes a “home” becomes increasingly convoluted post-adolescence, particularly for Queer folx: if you’re Queer, “homemaking” often means forging a family from scratch. This exhibition brings together artists working in the Pacific Northwest to address themes of home and belonging. These artists represent a geographical range from Seattle and Portland all the way to Montana and Alaska, and they include a mix of ceramic artists and artists from other disciplines who were willing to take on clay. Exhibit on display thru June 28. Info: https://potterynw.org/ portfolio-item/june-2019-queer-clay/.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Seattle Frontrunners Annual Run/ Walk with Pride 4K/10K

9am. Seward Park (5900 Lake Washington Blvd S). This year’s beneficiary is Peer Seattle, formerly known as Seattle Area Support Groups (SASG). Registration fee $35 adult, $20 student/youth for both 4K and 10K events. Register at www.raceentry. com/races/run-walk-with-pride/2019/register. Info at www.runwalkwithpride.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Tukwila Pride Street Fair

10am-8pm. East Marginal Way S from S 128th to S 130th St. Help make history by being a part of Tukwila’s first-ever Pride event! Featuring a huge lineup of entertainers including Athena, Lala Amish, Kristie Champagne, Africa Violeta, Sage Rose, and many other musicians, drag performers

and DJs, plus food trucks, beer garden and much more. Children’s activities include reading by “Grandmother Fish” author Jonathan Tweet. Free, hosted by PFLAG, Friendz Café, and NB Garden and Lawn Care. Info: www.tukwilapride.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Pride Art Fair

4-6:30pm. Hosted by Beach Bakery (7820 Rainier Ave S). Support LGBT+ artists. Drink coffee + eat pastries. Raffle to be held. Cash preferred.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

Reign FC Pride Match

7pm. Cheney Stadium (2502 S Tyler St, Tacoma). Celebrate Pride with the Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League as they take on the Washington (DC) Spirit. Tickets $17-$30 at www1. ticketmaster.com/reign-fc-vs-washingtonspirit/event/0F00565BF1EF7F2D or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

TUESDAY, JUNE 18

PBS presents “The Lavender Scare” 9-10pm. KCTS-TV. In 1953, President Eisenhower declared Gay men and Lesbians to be a threat to national security and therefore unfit for government service. In doing so, he triggered the longest “witch hunt” in American history. Over the next four decades, tens of thousands of government workers lost their jobs and careers solely over their sexual orientation. But this injustice had an unintended effect: it helped ignite the LGBT rights movement. This new documentary is narrated by Glenn Close and Frank Kameny (the man who dared to fight back). For a complete schedule listing other LGBT-themed programming during June, visit https://kcts.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20 –SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Northwest Film Forum presents “Queens” 6pm (VIP pre-show wine & cupcake

tasting), 8pm (screening). Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave). Drawing inspiration from the strategic drama of chess, Simone Pin Productions presents a sexy, thought-provoking burlesque centering two opulent, opposed queens. Gaze upon the staggering beauty of rooks, knights, and two primal Queens facing off on the chessboard! Powerful female figures, love, and the battles experienced by women of color all take center stage in this stimulating burlesque. The Queen’s Court features Adra Boo, Caela Bailey, TAQUEET$!, Elise, Shay Simone and Annya Pin, with choreography by Shay Simone that fuses burlesque and technical dance to scintillating effect. Tickets: $40 general, $50 VIP (includes reserved seating, wine, cupcake, signed poster, meet-and-greet with cast), at https://nwfilmforum.org/events/simonepin-productions-queens/.

see PRIDE CALENDAR page 8

Pride

Launching White Center Pride – June 5-9, 2019

When we began planning White Center Pride (and by that, I mean creating a FB page), we wanted it to be diverse and inclusive. There’s a lot of letters to account for LGBTQIA. And we wanted each letter to feel represented and welcome.

Many of us struggle with our letter. Often, we spend half of our lives trying to be a different letter. When we’re growing up and constantly hear that our letter is wrong, it’s sinful, it’s perverse, we think there’s something wrong with us. Some of us cry, some pray and bargain with God, “Please make me a different letter!” But an L is an L and a T is a T and you can’t change it.

When we finally do accept our letters, we became selfish. After all we had wasted so much time trying to change, that we want to embrace our letter and our letter only. Those of us that struggled in the closet for so long sometimes just want to spend the rest of our lives being our own letter. But we wanted White Center Pride to be an alphabet soup, where all letters mixed together to create something beautiful. And we hope it was a place where that was felt.

Whatever your letter is – L, G, B, T, Q, I, A – we want you to know you are loved, you are important, and you are special. You deserve more than to be tolerated; you deserve to be celebrated!

There are 2 more letters we can be proud of WC. White Center is also a place that has struggled with acceptance. But you won’t find a prouder community in all of Seattle. This is a community that takes care of their neighbors, says “hi” when you walk down the street and this place knows how to party!

The celebration [last weekend] felt like a small-town gay pride. Every event felt like you just popped into a friend’s house or backyard for a get-together. It was an amazing mixture of ages, races and colors and a few drag queens thrown in to make it even more fun. White Center Pride far exceeded every expectation, and although we want next year to be bigger and better, we don’t want to lose

the heart that made this one so special.

We couldn’t have done this without the support of our community and local businesses, too many to name. But you know who you are. You are the reason we were able to pull this off!

We would like to especially thank King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and the Metropolitan King County Council for awarding White Center with the 2019 Pride Proclamation honoring us for hosting

the first Official Pride in unincorporated King County. What an honor!

To our friends over in Capitol Hill, we just want to say, ”We love ya, but we don’t wanna be ya!” We’re happy to be the gritty, edgy neighborhood a little off the beaten path. We want White Center to stay an affordable place for all people and we will continue to strive to keep it that way.

Matt and Jason

Seattle Gay News

Today marks the third anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, the horrific terrorist attack against the LGBTQ community

WASHINGTON (June 12, 2019) – People started their evening celebrating. By the end of the night, 49 lives had been lost. The terror of that night, the senseless violence that directly targeted our community, is almost beyond comprehension. Survivors still battle violent memories and trauma.

But in the aftermath of Pulse – if something this tragic can ever truly end – a new movement was born. A new generation of LGBTQ leadership in Florida is rising up, led by a [steadfast] determination to ensure that there are no more victims, no more tragedies. Survivors of the Pulse shooting continue fighting, despite great [obstacles] and opposition, carried by one bold mantra: never again.

It’s [a] cliché, but true: it is often darkest before the dawn. Three years ago, we expe-

PRIDE FLAG

continued from cover

Administration banned all U.S. embassy buildings across the globe from hanging a Pride flag on the embassy flagpoles.

After reading the initial report from NBC News [“Trump admin. is rejecting requests

we

and we remember. Tomorrow, we move steadily forward toward greater progress.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Florida State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who together with Equality Florida, directed crisis services and a new advocacy movement in the aftermath of the shooting:

“The silver lining after the horrible tragedy that we lived through in Orlando was not only how our community came together to push back against homophobia and bigotry but that a new generation of unapologetic leaders rose from the ashes.”

Forward.

The Victory Institute Team

from US embassies to fly the rainbow #pride flag on embassy flagpoles during June, LGBT Pride Month, three American diplomats tell @NBCNews.”], GLAAD issued the following statement: “Remember last week when President Donald Trump was pretending to celebrate Pride Month???” – GLAAD

The Victory Institute is only national organization dedicated to elevating openly LGBTQ leaders who can further equality at all levels of government. Through our training and professional development programs, each year the Victory Institute assists hundreds of individuals who go on to influential careers in politics, government, business, and advocacy. Many of our trainees join the more than 1,000 openly LGBTQ elected and appointed officials now serving around the world.

Courtesy of the Victory Institute

And for those keeping track (GLAAD is), this is the 113th attack on LGBTQ Americans in policy and rhetoric by the Trump Administration since 2017. [https:// www.glaad.org/tap/donald-trump]

Courtesy of GLAAD

Pat Murakami condemns hate speech against City Council Candidate

Seattle small business owner, community leader, and Seattle City Council Candidate Pat Murakami has released the following statement in response to recent hate speech and threats of violence against Seattle City Council Candidate Ari Hoffman:

“Like many of you, I am disgusted and angered by the racial slurs and threats of violence against Seattle City Council Candidate Ari Hoffman and his family. Mr. Hoffman has repeatedly been accused of “weaponizing antisemitism” and we have frequently seen his concerns and those of the Jewish Community dismissed or treated with a sense of disbelief. While I am saddened to see how bad the threats have gotten, I hope this will

finally open some eyes.

“If a person from any other community had been treated the way Mr. Hoffman and his family have been treated, I have no doubt that there would be a line of elected officials and candidates ready to condemn this behavior. While I am very proud to see that both the Seattle Police and the FBI are taking these threats seriously, I am saddened at the silence from community leaders and elected officials.

“Mr. Hoffman and I may come from different political backgrounds, but this is a moment that is beyond politics. We Seattleites pride ourselves on our progressive ideals and our willingness to stand up for what is right; this is a time to prove it.

We prove it by standing up to hate in all its forms; by defending every individual against intimidation and violence; by fighting just as hard for those we disagree with as those closest to us.

“I will not be silent when a member of my community and their family are treated this way. I call on all my fellow candidates and all leaders across the Puget Sound Region to join me in condemning this language that is universally evil. I call on all of you to join me in solidarity with Mr. Hoffman, his family, and the entire Jewish Community to let the world know that this hate has no place in Seattle.”

Airline food workers vote 99.7% to strike

Most still make less than $15 per hour

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Airline food workers at Sea-Tac Airport voted on June 12 to go on strike as soon as they are released from mediation provisions by the National Mediation Board.

The workers prepare, pack, and deliver food and beverages served on Alaska, American, United, and other flights departing from Sea-Tac Airport. They are employees of LSG Sky Chefs, the largest airline catering subcontractor in the US.

The vote was a whopping 99.7% to strike.

UNITE HERE Local 8, the union that represents Sea-Tac airline food workers said the vote “calls attention to growing crisis around catering workers’ wages [and] health care amid a booming airline industry.”

“That workers voted 99.7% today to strike when released should send a strong message to Alaska Airlines, American, United, and other Sea-Tac carriers,” said UNITE HERE Local 8 President Erik Van Rossum.

“While the SeaTac living wage lifted up other airport workers, airline catering workers have been left behind, and nearly three-quarters of LSG Sky Chefs employees at Sea-Tac still make less than

$15 per hour. Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines made $430 million in profit in 2018. This has reached a crisis level – airline catering workers [at] Sea-Tac need meaningful changes, and they need them right now.”

The workers had been in mediation without getting any concessions from their employers. They are exempt from SeaTac’s $15 per hour minimum wage ordinance.

“I voted yes because I need a raise,” food worker Teraza Kuol Arop said.

“I have to move from apartment to apartment because the rent goes up and I can’t afford it. I want my daughter to go to college one day. There’s no difference between us and the other workers at SeaTac Airport. The food we make goes to feed the airline passengers. So why are we paid differently?”

UNITE HERE Local 8 is the hospitality workers’ union and represents over 5,000 members working in the hotel, food service, and airport industries throughout Washington and Oregon, including 900 airline food workers at Sea-Tac Airport.

UNITE HERE was one of the first unions in the country to endorse marriage equality. Their 2007 contract with the Westin hotel was the first hotel contract in the country to explicitly protect Transgender workers.

Seattle Public Library Central Library celebrates LGBTQ Pride Month

USA TODAY Network and Gannett Foundation award $100,000 “A Community Thrives” grant to LIHI’s Tiny House Program

The Low Income Housing Institute’s Tiny House Program was one of 16 nonprofits from across the country awarded “A Community Thrives” grant. Here is an excerpt from the USA TODAY press release:

“Journalists in the USA TODAY Network are telling local stories and regularly hear amazing ideas to improve American communities – which helped to inspire the creation of A Community Thrives.

The Low Income Housing Institute was among the 2019 recipients.

The Seattle-based organization was awarded a $100,000 national project grant for its efforts to help improve their community through housing.

The Low Income Housing Institute builds, owns, and runs housing for the homeless and formerly homeless people throughout Washington state. It also provides supportive services to help its clients increase self-sufficiency and transition to permanent housing.

The Low Income Housing Institute developed what they call 10 “tiny house villages” in Seattle, and one in Olympia.

“You can help end homelessness for hundreds of thousands of people; it’s by no means a totally helpless situation,” said Sharon Lee, executive director. “An ordinary person who cares about ending homelessness can pick up a paintbrush and help us literally end homelessness.”

The Institute, which has already built 300 tiny houses, has a goal of building 500 homes for those in need.

LIHI would like to thank Seattle Mayor Durkan and the City Council for their partnership and support of this vital program, which can be a model for communities across the country that are struggling with housing and shelter for their homeless resi-

dents.

Pride Calendar

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

Radical Women/Freedom Socialist

LGBTQ Pride Forum

7pm. New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave S). Panel discussion focused on the fight against the far right (it didn’t start with Trump). Featuring SGN publisher George Bakan and other local leaders in the struggle. Watch for details at www.radicalwomen.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

Pride Shabbat 2019

5:30pm (pre-Oneg with appetizers), 6:30pm (Service), 7:30 (dessert Oneg). Temple De Hirsch Sinai (1441 16th Ave). Pride Shabbat 2019 is a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Jews, friends, families and allies of all ages. Free, ADA accessible, ASL interpreted, dietary laws observed. Co-sponsored by Temple De Hirsch Sinai and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. Preregistration encouraged at www.jewishinseattle.org/investments-in-jewish-life/popup-events/pride-shabbat-2019/.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21 –

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Seattle Men’s Chorus:

“Summer of ’69”

8pm (Fri), 2pm (Sat). Benaroya Hall (3rd Ave & University St). Let SMC transport you back to that vibrant year of culture-defining music. Featuring hits by Marvin Gaye, Three Dog Night, Sly & the Family Stone, the Fifth Dimension and many others. Plus: the premiere of “Quiet No More,” an inspiring new musical theater work that tells the stories of the Stonewall riots and the birth of the struggle to live life out loud. Info and tickets: (206) 388-1400; www.seattlechoruses.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Seattle Women’s Pride 2019

6-10pm. The Riveter (1517 12th Ave). This year’s theme: “The Year of the Woman.” Awards presentation (8pm) honorees include Greta Cammermeyer, Mitzi Johanknecht, and Kim Bogucki. Comedy show (9pm) features Monisa Brown, Val Nigro and Tambre Massman. Also food, non-host bar, silent auction, raffle, VIP lounge. Come as you are! Tickets $40 general, $55 VIP (plus fees). Sponsored by The Seattle Lesbian. Info: www.seattlewomenspride.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

Pride All-Gender Swim at Rainier Beach Pool

6-8pm. Rainier Beach Pool (8825 Rainier Ave S). Amenities include water slide, diving board, sauna, leisure pool, hot tub and 25-yard lap pool. (Access stairs and ADA lift available for leisure pool, lap pool and hot tub.) All welcome – changing rooms will be gender-neutral with five family/private changing rooms available. Special rate of $2 (children under one year free with adult). Info: www.seattle.gov/ parks/find/pools/rainier-beach-pool.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23 –

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

We Are Family:

A Queer Comedy Show

7:30pm. Club Comedy Seattle (340 15th Ave E). Featuring Val Nigro, Paul Curry, Clara Pluton, Rick Taylor, Nancy Jean Naly, and hosts Claire and Jim Webber. $15/$20 at door benefits GSBA Scholarship Fund. Club Comedy Seattle is a boutique standup comedy club bringing national headliners and the best local acts to Capitol Hill. Tickets and full events calendar at http://clubcomedyseattle.com/.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

Trans Pride Seattle March 5pm (assembly), 6pm (march), 7pm (party). Assemble at Broadway & Thomas St, march south on Broadway to Pike, east on Pike to 11th, and north on 11th to Cal Anderson Park for Trans Pride celebration. For more info or to volunteer, visit www. transprideseattle.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

“Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community” 5 & 8pm 6/23; 3pm 6/24-25; 8:30pm 6/26-28. Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave). Newly restored print of classic 1984 documentary of the LGBT movement in the decades before the 1969 Stonewall riots. Narrated by iconic author Rita Mae Brown and featuring groundbreaking interviews with Ann Bannon, Martin Duberman, Allen Ginsberg, Barbara Gittings, Harry Hay, Mabel Hampton, Dr. Evelyn Hooker, Frank Kameny, Audre Lorde, Richard Bruce Nugent, Jose Sarria, and many more. Tickets and info at https://nwfilmforum.org/.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27 –SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Introvert Pride Festival 5-10pm. Copious Love Productions, 2220 NW Market St. We’re here, we’re Queer, we’re quiet. Cuddle up with a good book, listen to some amazing music geared toward inner calm and personal productivity, and celebrate Pride in a new way. Bring some friends and chill out with other cool introverts. Free. Info: www.copious.art.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

45th St). A Harry Potter themed dance party, featuring the talents of DJ Eff, Kid Amiga, Kzar, Shitbox, and Flintlock3r. $5 cover, 21+. Info: www.facebook.com/ events/3397409100052121/.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

Capital City Pride Parade and Festival (Olympia) Parade at noon. Festival 1-5pm. Heritage Park (5th Ave SE & Water St SE – SW corner – Olympia) www.capitalcitypride. net; www.facebook.com/capcitypride.

Walt Odets: “Reimagining Gay Men’s Lives” 7:30pm. Town Hall (The Forum), (1119 8th Ave). Psychologist and writer Odets invites us to engage with the struggles and stigmas gay men face in America, and to reexamine the ways which we think about gay life. $5. Info: (206) 504-2857; patronservices@townhallseattle.org.

Butt Dial at the W 6-8pm. Hotel W Seattle (1112 4th Ave). Mix and mingle with Mama Tits while jumping on the Butt Dial Express with live music on the W Stage. No cover charge. Happy Hour 4-8pm daily. Info: www.evensi.us/amp/love-loud-weekendhotel/310431783.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

OutDancing:

A Fundraiser for the Dyke March 8:30pm-1am. Century Ballroom (915 E Pine St, 2nd floor). Dance party featuring MC Koop and DJ Nudie. Tickets ($10 advance and day-of bef. 10pm; $15 aft. 10pm) at www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/4250594.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 –SUNDAY, JUNE 30

GLTA Seattle Classic

11am (Friday’s first match). UW Nordstrom Tennis Center (3833 Walla Walla Rd) indoor and outdoor courts. Annual open tournament sponsored by Seattle Tennis Alliance. Registration deadline: June 14 at 11:59pm. To register or for more information, visit www.seattletennisalliance.org.

Chairman Nadler statement for markup of HR 677, the 21st Century President Act

WASHINGTON, DC (June 12, 2019) –Today, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) delivered the following opening statement for the markup of HR 677, the 21st Century President Act:

“HR 677, the 21st Century President Act, modernizes current law criminalizing threats against former presidents and their families by removing gendered terms from the statute.

“This provision, section 879 of title 18, was enacted in 1982, in the aftermath of John Hinckley Jr.’s attempt on the life of then-President Ronald Reagan. Section 879 makes it unlawful to threaten to kill, kidnap or inflict bodily harm upon a former President, President-elect, or Vice Presidentelect, or a major candidate for President or Vice President, or [an] ‘immediate family’ member.

“The statute, however, defines ‘immediate family’ with terms such as ‘wife,’ ‘her,’ and ‘widow” – which presumes the president will always be a man married to a woman. When the law was enacted, in using these terms, Congress did not account for issues of gender equality, an area in which we have made important –though incomplete – progress.

“At present, one member of the LGBTQ community and six women have declared themselves to be candidates for the presi-

POLL

continued from cover

In 2017, the last time that question was asked, the numbers were 51% yes and 46% no.

Polling was conducted May 15 through May 30, 2019, with a random sample of 1,017 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. The margin of error is ±4 percentage points, so the difference between Yes and No responses is statistically significant, but just barely.

Republicans were least supportive of LGBT protections, with only 27% saying that new laws were needed, the same proportion as in 2017.

In contrast, Democrats are now nearly

dency. Whether or not any one of these candidates is nominated or elected, it is clear that the terminology in the statute is outdated and should be changed to refer to the ‘spouse’ of a former president.

three times as likely as Republicans to support such laws, with 74% now backing new laws, up from 67% in 2017.

Small majorities of independents have supported this kind of legislation in both polls – 56% in 2017 and 55% in 2019.

“Hesitance to support such new laws for LGBT Americans may in part be due to the growth in their perceptions of gay acceptance,” pollsters explained.

“If most Americans now believe that gay relations are viewed as acceptable by the public, they may perhaps also believe that laws to ensure their fair treatment are not needed.”

In fact, Gallup found that while support for laws protecting LGBT Americans did not increase significantly over the past few years, perceptions of same-sex relationships have changed dramatically.

“I want to thank Rep. Mark Pocan for identifying this anachronism in the law and for introducing this bill to rectify it. HR 677 will indeed take this law into the 21st century.

When asked “What is your impression of how most Americans feel about gay or lesbian relations – do most Americans think they are acceptable or not acceptable?” a much larger percentage now say same-sex relationships are accepted than was the case in the past.

In the latest Gallup poll, 55% of the respondents said same-sex relationships are now accepted, while 41% said they are not. But in 2001, only 21% said they were accepted, with a whopping 71% saying they were not.

The perception that same-sex relationships are accepted remains constant across age groups and political party identification, with majorities of 52% to 57% now saying that most Americans view samesex relations as acceptable. In other words, perceptions of acceptance have increased

by at least 30 percentage points since 2001. Today more men (62%) than women (48%) believe that Gay or Lesbian relations are accepted. This is an interesting finding, because women have historically been somewhat more likely than men to support LGBT rights.

The bottom line, according to Gallup, is that “Americans have become much more accepting of LGBT people and supportive of their rights, but this doesn’t mean they are wholeheartedly prepared to back new civil rights legislation, such as the Equality Act recently passed in the House. A slim majority supports these types of bills, as was the case in 2017 – and this doesn’t put a tremendous amount of pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the House-passed bill to the Senate floor.”

Jayapal, Dingell lead Medicare for All press event on historic Ways & Means Committee hearing

WASHINGTON, DC (June 12, 2019)

– Earlier today, Reps. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Debbie Dingell (MI-12), co-chairs of the Medicare for All Caucus, held a press conference regarding Wednesday’s historic hearing on the Medicare for All Act of 2019 in the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Members in attendance included:

• Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), member of the Ways and Means Committee

• Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), member of the Ways and Means Committee

• Rep. Brendan Boyle (PA-02), member of the Ways and Means Committee

• Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13), chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus

• Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), vice chair of the Medicare for All Caucus

• Rep. Joe Neguse (CO-02), vice chair of the Medicare for All Caucus

Some highlights from the press conference:

“We are at this historic moment where today for the first time in the history of the House of Representatives, we are having a

hearing on Medicare for All in the Ways and Means Committee of the United States Congress,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal.

“What we heard in the Ways and Means Committee today, just as we heard in the previous two hearings that we had, is that health care is a human right! That Medicare for All means everybody in, and nobody out. And that we are making tremendous progress.”

“Every American has a right to quality, affordable health care. Period,” Rep. Dingell said. “Today, because of the Ways and Means Committee, change is in sight. It is! It’s here [...] it’s happening in community after community after community because people are scared. They can’t afford their medicine. They’re paying too much in out of pocket expenses.”

“What we are finding now is that people are already paying the price,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer. “They get sick more often, they take longer to get well, and for the privilege, we pay more than any country in the world, usually by a factor of two. And we die sooner. It doesn’t have to be this way. And the hearing today gives us the

opportunity to delve into the facts.”

“No parent should have to worry that if their kid gets sick, they will delay care. That is not right. And even with the Affordable Care Act, which is a huge leap forward, it’s still not right,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez.

Rep. Brendan Boyle stated: “Health care is a universal human right. Period. And that’s not just me saying it. That’s not just some of my colleagues saying it. That’s not just you saying it. That’s what the United States signed up to more than seven decades ago in the UN Human Rights Declaration. It is right there. The United States has already committed itself to that. So, what we are doing here today is actually not radical. It’s common sense.”

“Yes, in the richest country on earth, no one, and I mean no one, should be denied health care. When you talk about racial equity and health disparities, we’ve been working on this for years, trying to close the gaps. There are huge gaps with people of color and health care,” Rep. Barbara Lee said. “And Medicare for All will put us on the path to ensure equal access to quality health care for everyone, regardless of their

zip code, their background, or [whoever] they are.”

“Make no mistake […] history is on our side. Economics are on our side. And the American people are on our side,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar. “It is time that the United States joins every other industrialized country in the world, and once and for all guarantees every single American the basic right to health care.”

“At the end of the day, this will have real consequences for a whole lot of people,” said Rep. Joe Neguse. “Folks who are paying more for their health care premiums than they are for their mortgage. So, to those who say we can’t afford a Medicare for All system, I would say we can’t afford to let another family go bankrupt or, God forbid, a loved one get sick.”

To view video of the press conference, [go to https://twitter.com/RepJayapal/ status/1138902419004362752].

Courtesy of Rep. Pramila Jayapal

Lambda Legal, Americans United, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the County of Santa Clara ask court for immediate halt to implementation of denial-of-care rule

(June 12, 2019) – Late yesterday, Lambda Legal, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the County of Santa Clara urged the US District Court for the Northern District of California to block implementation of the denial-of-care rule to protect patients nationwide while the coalition’s lawsuit challenging the rule is pending.

In the lawsuit, County of Santa Clara v. HHS, filed May 28, the civil rights organizations represent a wide array of health providers, including Trust Women Seattle, Hartford GYN, Whitman-Walker Health, the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Center on Halsted, the Mazzoni Center, the GLMA, the AGLP, Medical Students for Choice, and five doctors. The county itself runs an extensive health and hospital system that serves as a safety net provider for its 1.9 million residents. Mayer Brown, LLP is serving as pro bono counsel.

“The rule is so overbroad, unworkable, and sweeping in its targeting of LGBT people and women for denials of health care that it will harm patients,” Lambda Legal Senior Attorney Jamie Gliksberg said. “Our providers mean the difference between life and death for the marginalized communities they serve. Their patients come to them sometimes in crisis, and sometimes after having been denied care by other providers. If the rule goes into effect, these providers and the patients they serve will be irreparably harmed. Without exaggeration, the rule will hurt people, and likely kill some of them.”

“People’s lives are at risk if the Trump administration’s denial-of-care rule is allowed to go into effect,” said Richard B. Katskee, legal director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “This rule is so unconstitutional and unconscionable that it cannot be allowed to take effect. We urge the court to block it.”

“Once again, the Trump administration is callously targeting reproductive rights and restricting access to health care,” Center for Reproductive Rights Senior Staff Attorney Genevieve Scott said. “The rule is a weapon to drive abortion, contraception, and LGBTQ health care out of reach for all individuals across the country. This new policy leaves zero safeguards for patients and is a glaringly unconstitutional attack on patients’ rights to access health care. We are standing up to the Trump administration for skirting congressional approval and pushing through this extreme and discriminatory policy that puts patient lives at risk.”

“The denial-of-care rule is not the result of carelessness. It was designed to invite discrimination and intimidate providers into dropping services the Trump administration disagrees with,” said Santa Clara County Counsel James R. Williams. “In issuing this patently unlawful rule, [the US Department of Health and Human Services] (HHS) has neglected both its statutory obligations and its basic responsibilities to patients. The rule is operationally unworkable and will cause irreparable harm to patients and healthcare nationwide.”

The new regulation, issued last month by the US Department of Health and Human Services, invites anyone employed by a health care provider – doctors, nurses, EMTs, administrators, janitors, and clerical staff – to deny medical treatment and services to patients because of personal religious or moral beliefs. Health care facilities that do not comply risk losing federal funding. The regulation will cause mass confusion among health care providers and is completely infeasible to implement. As a result, some health care facilities – most of which receive federal funding through HHS – may do away with reproductive and LGBTQ services altogether, leaving millions without access to critical health care.

In the lawsuit, the civil rights organizations argue that the rule is unconstitutional because it advances specific religious beliefs in violation of the First Amend-

ment; violates patients’ rights to privacy, liberty, and equal dignity as guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment; and chills patients’ speech and expression in violation of the First Amendment, all to the detriment of patients’ health and well-being. The lawsuit also asserts that HHS violated the federal Administrative Procedure Act in creating the rule by arbitrarily and capriciously failing to consider the impact on patients and the health care system.

The rule could also lead to many LGBTQ patients not fully disclosing their identity and medical history for fear of discrimination, resulting in improper or incomplete care. While marginalized communities are the intended target, the rule is so broad that the religious objections of a health care worker could result in anyone – the elderly, children, and those in critical condition – being denied lifesaving medical care.

Read the motion at https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/legal-docs/county_ ca_20190528_complaint.

Founded in 1992, the Center for Reproductive Rights is a global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive health and autonomy. The Center’s groundbreaking court cases have expanded access to safe abortion, birth control, and maternal health care in the US and across the globe.

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

The government of the County of Santa Clara serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents – the most populous in Northern California. With a $7 billion annual budget, dozens of offices/ departments, and over 20,000 employees, the county provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many others.

Courtesy of Lambda Legal

“Over the past two decades, federal courts have made it clear that discrimination against LGBTQ people falls under existing sex discrimination laws,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC’s legal director. “And numerous federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), have affirmed this interpretation and incorporated this into administrative protections in the context of housing, health care, grant making, and more.”

The 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. This discrimination can take many forms. Although traditionally we have under-

stood sex discrimination at work to include unfair bias that influences hiring, firing, and promotion decisions, protections from sex discrimination extend far beyond these explicit actions. Significant protections from discrimination have flowed to the LGBTQ community through an inclusive interpretation of the meaning of “sex” to also prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes. This interpretation has been applied to LGBTQ people for almost two decades by both federal courts and federal agencies.

The Supreme Court has granted cert in three cases directly addressing Title VII coverage and LGBTQ people and could effectively decide whether to solidify or take away nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people under federal civil

rights laws – which prohibit sex discrimination in contexts ranging from employment to housing, health care, and education.

However, judicially crafted protections cannot replace explicit federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Without these laws, victims of discrimination will have to file a suit against an employer, landlord, or business owner and argue their case in a court of law.

This is why the Equality Act is so important. The Equality Act amends existing civil rights law – including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the Jury Selection and Services Act – to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics.

After the Equality Act received historic bipartisan approval in the House, the Human Rights Campaign called upon the Senate to finally ensure LGBTQ have comprehensive nondiscrimination protections at the federal level.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

WE WILL REMEMBER

ORLANDO – JUNE 12, 2016

Three years ago, on Sunday, June 12, 49 members of our community lost their lives in a mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando – victims of one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern American history.

Stanley Almodovar III

Amanda L. Alvear

Oscar A. Aracena-Montero

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala

Antonio Davon Brown

Darryl Roman Burt II

Angel Candelario-Padro

Juan Chavez-Martinez

Luis Daniel Conde

Cory James Connell

ORLANDO – JUNE 12, 2016

Tevin Eugene Crosby Deonka Deidra Drayton

Simón Adrian Carrillo Fernández

Leroy Valentin Fernandez

Mercedez Marisol Flores

Peter Ommy Gonzalez-Cruz

Juan Ramon Guerrero

Paul Terrell Henry

Frank Hernandez

Miguel Angel Honorato

Javier Jorge-Reyes

Jason Benjamin Josaphat

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice

Anthony Luis Laureano Disla

Christopher Andrew Leinonen

Alejandro Barrios Martinez

Brenda Marquez McCool

Gilberto R. Silva Menendez

Kimberly Jean Morris

Akyra Monet Murray

Luis Omar Ocasio Capo

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera

Joel Rayon Paniagua

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez

Enrique L. Rios, Jr.

Jean Carlos Nieves Rodríguez

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz

Yilmary Rodríguez Solivan

Edward Sotomayor Jr.

Shane Evan Tomlinson

Martin Benitez Torres

Jonathan A. Camuy Vega

Juan Pablo Rivera Velázquez

Luis Sergio Vielma

Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velázquez

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon

Jerald Arthur Wright

1,095

This is the number of days that have passed since 29 year old security guard Omar Mateen entered the LGBTQ nightclub known as Pulse in Orlando, Florida with mass murder on his mind. The number of days the families of the victims have grieved over the loss of their loved ones who fell that night. It would become the worst act of terrorism since 9/11 and the second worst mass shooting to date in US history surpassed only by the shooting in Las Vegas.

320

This is the number of carefree people, most of them of Hispanic and Puerto Rican descent, who were in attendance for the weekly Latin Night event that evening, dancing and cavorting, blissfully unaware of the nightmare that was about to be visited upon them.

On the three-year anniversary of the Orlando massacre, here are the numbers:

2

This is the number of lethal firearms Mateen was able to sneak past the nightclub’s security that night, a SIG Sauer MCX semi-automatic rifle and a 9mm Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol.

200

This is the number of gunshot wounds these weapons would inflict that night.

150

This is the number of bullets fired by heroic SWAT team members to take down Mateen and end his murderous rampage.

8

This is the number of their bullets that found their mark, ending Mateen’s life and the bloody conflict he initiated.

30

This is the number of terrified but grateful hostages who were freed when Mateen’s heart finally beat its last.

49

This is the number of innocent people who were struck down by a madman’s bullet that night. The number of people who would never return to their families. The number of people who would never see another sunrise. The number of people who would never dance again.

53

This is the number of people fortunate enough to live to tell the tale despite the horrendous injuries inflicted upon them by that same madman.

73

This is the number of surgeries performed by the Orlando Regional Medical Center in their valiant efforts to save the lives of the 44 wounded who arrived there.

195

This is the number of minutes Mateen was able to inflict his terror and rage upon the masses that night for motives still debated to this day. Mateen claimed his actions were in response to American atrocities committed in the Middle East but some theorize his actions were the result of an internal struggle between a hidden sexual orientation and his own fundamentalist beliefs that could not abide it.

Compiled by Ken Campbell

Happy Pride!

New survey underscores need to protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy

SAN FRANCISCO (June 11, 2019) –

Today, the Trevor Project released a new survey showing that 57 percent of young people who experienced conversion therapy attempted suicide in the last year. This survey is consistent with the results of a peer-reviewed study published last year, which found that LGBTQ youth who are subjected to conversion therapy are nearly three times as likely to attempt suicide as those who have not been subjected to conversion therapy.

[The following is a] statement by Mathew Shurka, conversion therapy survivor and co-founder of Born Perfect:

“These heartbreaking figures underscore the urgent need for states to take action to protect LGBTQ young people and their families from the devastating harms caused by conversion therapy. While many states have stepped up to address this abuse, many others have not. Conversion therapy is fraudulent and harmful. No young person in this country should have to fear being subjected to such a dangerous and unethical practice, and no family should have to fear that a licensed therapist will subject their child to a discredited treatment that has been rejected as ineffective and unsafe by every leading medical and mental health organization in the country.”

[The following is a] statement by Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights:

“As this new data confirms, the evidence that conversion therapy puts LGBTQ youth at risk of serious harms is overwhelming. No issue is more important to the health and well-being of LGBTQ youth than putting a stop to this invidious practice once and for all. We call on state and local policymakers to take immediate steps to educate parents about the harms caused by conversion therapy and to ensure that no licensed therapist can engage in these dangerous practices.”

Over the past five years, Born Perfect, a campaign to end conversion therapy led by the National Center for Lesbian Rights, has partnered with state legislators to pass laws barring therapists from subjecting minors to conversion therapy in 18 states plus DC, as well as more than 50 localities.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRights.org

SPLC: Judge orders dissolution of conversion therapy provider barred from promoting fraudulent practice in 2015 operating under new name

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (June 10, 2019)

– A New Jersey state judge today ordered the dissolution of an organization known as the Jewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA), which facilitates gay-to-straight “conversion therapy,” because its founders were barred from promoting the fraudulent practice in 2015.

Superior Court Judge Peter F. Bariso Jr. issued a 47-page written decision finding that the defendants have violated a 2015 injunction and settlement agreement involving the group then known as Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH).

In order to “deter and punish” the defendants, Judge Bariso also barred JONAH’s founders from serving as directors of any New Jersey nonprofit corporation and ordered that they pay attorney fees incurred in connection with plaintiffs’ efforts to enforce the injunction. The court also ordered the defendants pay the full amount owed under the settlement agreement.

“The court previously had ordered JONAH to shut its doors and stop promoting conversion therapy because a jury found that its program was fraudulent and unconscionable – in violation of New

Jersey’s consumer fraud law,” said David Dinielli, deputy legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. “The ruling today – concluding that defendants have violated that court order – confirms that the court meant what it said. Conversion therapy necessarily is fraudulent because it is based on the lie that LGBTQ people can and should be fixed. Along with our clients and other allies, we will not stop until we eradicate these dangerous practices in New Jersey and around the country.”

This past Friday, lawyers from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton LLP, and Lite DePalma Greenberg LLC presented oral arguments on motions urging Bariso to enforce the permanent injunction and settlement agreement between JONAH (now known as JIFGA) and the plaintiffs.

In a landmark June 2015 victory, a jury found that JONAH falsely claimed that it could change its clients from gay to straight and was in violation of New Jersey’s consumer fraud law. The defendants have continued to flagrantly violate the court’s injunction more than three years later.

Luke Barefoot, partner at Cleary Gott-

lieb Steen and Hamilton LLP, said: “When we learned that JONAH continued to operate under a new name and, in defiance of the jury’s verdict, carry on the same unconscionable practices that harmed so many vulnerable young people, we knew our job was not over.”

To read more about the original case, go to: https://www.splcenter.org/seekingjustice/case-docket/michael-ferguson-etal-v-jonah-et-al.

To read more about the motion to enforce the permanent injunction, go to: https://www.splcenter.org/ news/2019/03/28/splc-conversion-therapy-provider-continues-secretly-operatenearly-four-years-after-jury.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Alabama with offices in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Washington, DC, is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.

Cleary Gottlieb has been committed to legal excellence for more than 70 years.

With 1,300 lawyers in 16 offices in major global financial centers, it assembles the right teams, across practice areas and jurisdictions, to bring pragmatic, innovative solutions to complex challenges. Learn more at www.clearygottlieb.com.

Lite DePalma Greenberg, LLC is a law firm dedicated to solving problems and creating opportunities for its individual, business and governmental clients. With offices in Newark, Chicago, and Philadelphia, Lite DePalma Greenberg has extensive litigation experience in state and federal courts across the country. Lite DePalma Greenberg has established a national reputation in complex classaction litigation across a wide range of areas, including consumer fraud, antitrust, products liability, and securities fraud. The firm’s attorneys also provide counseling, negotiation, and litigation services to corporate, commercial, and real estate clients, and handle a broad range of civil and criminal matters at the trial and appellate levels. Visit www.litedepalma. com.

Courtesy of the SPLC

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Vatican issues guidance on gender designed to fuel violence and discrimination against LGBTIQ people

NEW YORK (June 10, 2019) – On 10 June 2019 the Congregation for Catholic Education of the Vatican issued a 31-pagelong guidance on gender identity, stating decisively that gender is binary and imparted by God, not only denying the existence and rights of transgender people but framing their existence as dangerous and threatening, and entirely overlooking the existence of intersex people.

With a particular focus on education and young people, the document is likely to have an especially harmful effect on LGBTIQ youth. While it states that young people should be taught to respect everyone and no one should be subjected to bullying, in fact it promotes the opposite.

Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International commented:

“Too often LGBTIQ people have been,

and continue to be, subjected to violence and persecution, harmful and ineffective ‘conversion therapies,’ and have their very basic human rights denied in the name of religion, so-called morality, or other traditional religious values, inciting acts of violence and hate towards LGBTIQ people. We also know that those of us who are trans or break the norms of stereotypical gender roles are often most at risk of being attacked.

“The timing of this move by the Vatican, amid Pride month, when LGBTIQ movements around the world celebrate progress and our resilience is despicable. This document is the antithesis of Pride. It perpetuates misinformation, and fuels hate.”

Sahar Moazami, UN program officer at OutRight Action International commented:

concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants, or momentary desires provoked by emotional impulses and the will of the individual.”

“This move is symptomatic of the destructive efforts the Vatican has been building at the United Nations and other international fora in recent years. By actively promoting a definition of gender as a binary and biological phenomenon, and challenging the human rights of women, LGBTIQ people, and anyone who does not fit the narrow definition of the assigned norm, the Vatican has been steadily and consistently undermining the entire international human rights system.”

Every day around the world, LGBTIQ people’s human rights and dignity are abused in ways that shock the conscience. The stories of their struggles and their resilience are astounding, yet remain unknown –or willfully ignored – by those with the power to make change. OutRight

of LGBT people which perpetuates and encourages hatred, bigotry, and violence against them,” New Ways said in a statement.

Action International, founded in 1990 as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, works alongside LGBTIQ people in the Global South, with offices in six countries, to help identify community-focused solutions to promote policy for lasting change. It vigilantly monitors and documents human rights abuses to spur action when they occur. It trains partners to expose abuses and advocate for themselves. Headquartered in New York City, OutRight is the only global LGBTIQ-specific organization with a permanent presence at the United Nations in New York that advocates for human rights progress for LGBTIQ people.

Courtesy of OutRight Action International

of self-understanding and faith, the Vatican remains in the dark ages, promoting a false teaching that relies on myth, rumor, and falsehoods.”

The new directive, released June 10, describes the Transgender community as “nothing more than a confused concept of freedom in the realm of feelings and wants.”

“Efforts to go beyond the difference, such as the ideas of ‘intersex’ or ‘transgender,’ lead to a masculinity or femininity that is ambiguous,” the document reads.

“In this understanding of things, the view of both sexuality identity and the family become subject to the same ‘liquidity’ and ‘fluidity’ that characterize other aspects of post-modern culture, often founded on nothing more than a confused

The new directive is the work of the Congregation for Catholic Education, a Vatican department. Pope Francis has not commented on the document, and it does not bear his signature. However, he has in the past referred to Trans people as sinful and compared them to nuclear weapons – in the sense that they would “destroy nature.”

The release of the Vatican document drew immediate criticism from pro-LGBT Catholic groups, including religious institutions like New Ways Ministry.

“The document associates sexual and gender minorities with libertine sexuality, a gross misrepresentation of the lives

“The document…will confuse those who sincerely struggle with questions of gender identity and sexual orientation. Such confusion leads to self-harm, addiction, and even suicide. The misinformation the document contains will cause families to reject their children, and it will increase alienation of LGBT people from the Church. The only truth that the document reveals is that the Vatican remains ill-equipped to discuss gender and sexuality in the modern world. By ignoring new scientific understandings of gender identity, and by refusing to engage in dialogue with LGBT people about their lived experiences

The document was also criticized by Fr. James Martin, a popular Jesuit commentator on Catholic teaching whose book Building a Bridge argues for closer engagement with the LGBT community by Church officials.

“The real-life experiences of LGBT people seem entirely absent from this document,” Martin said. “We should welcome the congregation’s call to dialogue and listening on gender, and I hope that conversation will now begin.”

NCLR applauds the introduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act of 2019

WASHINGTON, DC (June 13, 2019)

– Today, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Every Child Deserves a Family (ECDF) Act of 2019 in the US Senate, a bill that will ensure fair and compassionate treatment of all children and families in the foster care system – without regard to their religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The bill will improve services to LGBTQ and religious minority children, and will prohibit federally funded adoption, foster care, and child welfare agencies from

discriminating against children, families, and individuals based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or marital status.

[The following is a] statement from Youth Policy Director Shannan Wilber:

“This important legislation stands for the simple proposition that federal funds should not pay for child welfare services that harm vulnerable children to advance a discriminatory political agenda. Turning away willing and capable adoptive parents based solely on their sexual orientation,

gender identity, religion, or marital status further jeopardizes the tens of thousands of youth who leave the foster care system with no permanent family. Using taxpayer funds to discriminate against LGBTQ foster children or subject them to harmful and discredited ‘conversion’ therapies is reprehensible. NCLR applauds Sen. Gillibrand for introducing legislation embodying the core values of our public child welfare system. Every child deserves a family.”

The National Center for Lesbian Rights

is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRights.org

Courtesy of the National Center for Lesbian Rights

Palm Center statement on plan by Congress to consider amendment that would block funds to enforce transgender troop ban

SAN FRANCISCO (June 12, 2019)

– Palm Center Director Aaron Belkin issued the following statement in response to the House Rules Committee’s decision to allow the House to consider an amendment prohibiting the Pentagon from using Department of Defense funds to implement President Trump’s transgender ban. The amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill is led by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), with co-sponsors Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD), Rep. Veronica

Escobar (D-TX), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-CA). The House is expected to consider the amendment next week.

“Rep. Speier’s amendment would prevent the military from implementing this discriminatory ban and wasting taxpayer money firing and replacing fully qualified transgender troops. Research indicates that it costs far more money to fire and replace a service member than to provide medically necessary health care.

The Defense Department spent only $3

million per year providing health care to transgender personnel before President Trump reinstated the ban, a figure military leadership has called mere ‘budget dust.’ In wasting money and talent, the ban undermines readiness, and Rep. Speier’s amendment would put an end to that.”

The Palm Center is an independent research institute committed to sponsoring state-of-the-art scholarship to enhance the quality of public dialogue about critical and controversial issues of the day. Its

research has been published in leading social science journals and extensively consulted and cited by the US military. The Palm Center seeks to be a resource for scholars, policymakers, journalists, opinion leaders, students and the public at large. For more information, visit www. palmcenter.org.

Courtesy of the Palm Center

Pride Calendar

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 –

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Queer/Pride Festival 2019

6pm-12 midnight Fri; 2pm-12 midnight Sat; 2pm-10pm Sun. Queer/Bar (1518 11th Ave) and outdoors on 11th between E Pike & E Pine Sts. Queer/Pride Festival is an annual three-day street festival during Seattle Pride Weekend in the heart of Capitol Hill. We are here to be a safe, fun space for our LGBTQIA+ community so that we can honor our history and diversity, while celebrating our Queer culture together. Enjoy nightly performances on two stages of the hottest in drag and LGBTQIA+ talent from all over the country, dance your glitter off all day long with DJs and Go-Gos, and meet the stars at our Meet & Greet events! VIPs party in the ultra-exclusive VIP lounge with a private stage, premium bar, and drop-ins with “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” queens. Tickets: $30 (single-day pass); $75 (3-day pass); $199 (VIP Experience). Meet-and-greet packages also available ($50 addl). Info: www.strangertickets.com/ events/92033887/queerpride-festival-2019.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 –

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Wildrose and GayEXP Pride 2019

6pm (Fri); 1pm (Sat-Sun). Wildrose (1021 E Pike St.) Wildrose teams up with KEXP (90.3 FM) for three days of live music and DJ sessions plus games, photobooth and booty shakin’ contest. Live performers include Adra Boo, Mandate, Mirrorgloss, and Chanarah; DJs include KEXP’s Riz, Larry Rose and Tim. Weekend pass $40 (purchase by 6/14) or pay at the door: Fri $20, Sat $25, Sun by donation.

More info and pass sales: www.kexp.org/ events/kexp-events/2019/6/28/.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Seattle Pride Quads

Grass Volleyball Tournament

8am-7pm. Judkins Park, 2150 S Norman St. Fundraiser for Kraken VC Scholarship Fund, which brings club volleyball to innercity youth. Tournament includes men’s and women’s divisions. Entry fee $120 for team of 4; $30 each additional player. Info and registration (deadline: June 22) at www. seattlepridequads.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Pride Pancake Breakfast

9am-12 noon. Central Lutheran Church Social Hall (1710 11th Ave). Fuel up for Capitol Hill’s Pride celebrations while helping support Samaritan Center’s CareTeams, Food Lifeline and the Dignity/Seattle Scholarship Fund. This event is a Seattle tradition now in its 31st year! Donation of $7 includes food and prize raffle. Dignity/ Seattle is a faith community of LGBTQ Catholics, families and friends that has been in existence since 1973. Info at http:// dignityseattle.org/node/198.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Capitol Hill Pride March & Rally

11am (Doggie Drag Costume Contest), 12 noon-1pm (parade). More info coming soon at www.capitolhillpridefestival.info.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

PrideFest Capitol Hill

12 noon-9pm. Broadway E from John St. to Roy St. The biggest festival day on Capitol Hill all year long! Return to the place where Pride was held for decades, now a five-block festival with food, vendors, five stages of entertainment, and the most diverse crowd you’ll see all year long. Best of all, it’s free. Info: www.seattlepridefest.org/schedule/2019/6/29/pridefest-capitol-hill

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

LGBTQ Youth Pride Dance: “Hollywood, Gays & Glam” 7-11pm. MoPOP, 325 5th Ave N. Featuring great music, lighting, media display, and youth drag performances. Co-sponsored by

the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and Lambert House. Ages 13-22. More info coming soon at www.lamberthouse.org. Volunteers are needed; email brandon@ lamberthouse.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Color Me Proud 2019 10pm-1:30am. (211 1st Ave S.) Come celebrate Pride with us. Sponsored by Pacific Northwest Black Pride. $10 entry. Latest hip-hop and R&B. 21+. Info: www. nwblkpride.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 & SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Cuff Pride Street Party 4pm-3am (Sat), 12 noon-3am (Sun). The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.) Details to come; watch for updates at www.cuffcomplex.com or call (206) 323-1525.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Seattle Dyke March 5pm (rally), 7pm (march). Seattle Central College Plaza (1701 Broadway at E Pine St). March goes around Capitol Hill and back to the Plaza. People of all genders and identities are welcome to join in celebration at the rally and on the march. See the Seattle Dyke March Facebook page for more info.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Seattle Sounders Pride Match

7pm. Century Link Field (800 Occidental Ave). “We stand for Pride, we march for Pride, we play for Pride!” The Sounders host the Vancouver Whitecaps in the

annual Pride Match, with additional events centered around Pride and the celebration of equality. Tickets and more info at www. soundersfc.com/tickets/themematches.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Pride-lesque at the W 8-10pm. W Seattle (1112 4th Ave). Kick off the night with feathers and fierceness as W Seattle welcomes five of the city’s hottest burlesque dancers who will steal the scene with their shimmy and shake while you prefunk with your besties. Featured performers on the W Stage include Waxie Moon, J Von Stratton, Moscato Extatique, Ruby Mimosa and Faggedy Randy. No cover. Info: www.evensi.us/amp/love-loudweekend-hotel/310431783.

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Mimosas with Mama Tits Pride Brunch at the W 8am-2pm (Mama Tits performance 9am-11am). W Seattle (1112 4th Ave). Soak in the Pride celebration (and soak up that Hill hangover) with the brunch of all brunches in the W Seattle Living Room. W Seattle sits right on the parade route so you won’t miss a thing. Buffet brunch $29, full menu to come at www.evensi.us/amp/loveloud-weekend-hotel/310431783.

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Seattle Pride Parade 2019

11am-4pm. Downtown Seattle (4th Ave at Union St to 2nd Ave & Denny Way).The 45th annual Seattle Pride Parade includes more than 200 participating groups and

CALENDAR page 25

Testosterone: Know the facts

by Colin Fields, MD Kaiser Permanente

Testosterone replacement therapy can be critical treatment in certain situations – for transgender men, for genderqueer and non-binary patients pursuing hormone replacement therapy, and for men with medical conditions resulting in low testosterone. But as television and radio ads targeting men with “low T” push the treatment and as so-called “men’s clinics” proliferate offering easier access to the drugs, it’s becoming disturbingly common that people who don’t need supplemental T are taking it – and facing the side effects.

You probably already know that testosterone is a hormone produced primarily in the testicles that can claim some pretty fantastic benefits from increasing muscle mass to promoting bodily and facial hair growth to increasing sex drive and improved mood. Testosterone production declines as men age but really only an average of 1% each year. Most men naturally create enough testosterone.

Some conditions, though, warrant testosterone replacement therapy. One is hypogonadism, a condition where the body fails to make enough testosterone due to problems with either the testicles or the pituitary gland which controls them. Only 3-5% of men under the age of 45 have this condition. Several tests can help your physician diagnose this condition, but it is important to understand that there is not a one-and-done test to diagnose hypogonadism.

Testing testosterone needs to be timed between 8-10am when testosterone is expected to be at its highest. Testosterone has a broad range of normal values. According the 2018 Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines, “reference ranges for total testosterone in healthy, nonobese young men (aged 19 to 39 years) was 264 to 916 ng/dL (9.2 to 31.8 nmol/L) using the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile, and 303 to 852 ng/dL (10.5 to 29.5 nmol/L) using the

5th and 95th percentile.” There needs to be low level on repeat testing at least 3 times as 30% of men with low testosterone on initial testing will have a normal level on repeat testing. If low levels are confirmed on multiple tests, central causes from other hormones in the brain need to be tested as well to confirm the diagnosis of hypogonadism prior to even considering supplemental testosterone therapy.

We also prescribe testosterone for transgender men, genderqueer, and non-binary people who want to pursue masculinizing therapy. Starting T involves a ramp-up from zero to a therapeutic level to minimize potential side effects. Every prescription is different depending on the patient’s health history. T therapy is the equivalent to a second puberty and increasing dosage doesn’t speed up the transition but instead creates health hazards at supraphysiologic doses. T usually has impacts on patients’ physical appearance, sex drive, emotional state, and reproductive system.

And then there are the other uses. Drug manufacturers have marketed testosterone as the fountain of youth, claiming it will maintain or enhance muscle mass, sex drive, and sperm production. Use of

testosterone replacement therapy tripled among men 18-45 between 2003-2013, even though it was intended for older men. Marketing has capitalized on the presumption that decreasing testosterone results in some of the effects of aging, creating consumer demand for these drugs. This marketing is growing a new industry of “men’s clinics” which are liberally prescribing T.

Testosterone is a controlled substance – a medication that requires a prescription based on a medical need and it takes a licensed pharmacist to dispense. When medically indicated, testosterone can improve a patient’s quality of life. But when it isn’t medically indicated, it can be harmful.

One study showed that older men on testosterone therapy doubled their risk of heart attacks. It increases the risk of blood clots and strokes. For patients under 45

years old, it could cause infertility. It also has side effects that include sleep apnea, breast enlargement, and acne.

The long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy have not been well studied. Patients lose the benefits of testosterone when they stop taking the hormone and it can take many months for the body to start producing testosterone again. If you are considering taking T, talk to your care provider. We can partner with you and advise you whether you need this work up or if there could be other causes for your symptoms. Routine screening for the general population is not recommended and screening for low testosterone should be based on symptoms only. Your care team is here to look out for you and your long-term health.

New recommendations for PrEP and HIV screening could increase access for millions of Americans

WASHINGTON, DC (June 11, 2019)

– Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, responded to news that the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has finalized its recommendations regarding access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV testing, which will increase access to life-saving preventative care for millions of Americans.

“For LGBTQ Americans and countless others in the US and around the world, the HIV and AIDS epidemic remains a serious threat to our health and welfare,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “In the face of discrimination, stigma, and inequality, too many of us remain without access to lifesaving medication and preventative care. While there is much work to be done, today’s news signals a potentially game-changing expansion of care for our country – especially for our nation’s most marginalized.”

“These recommendations from the USPSTF represent a critical step forward for the health and welfare of millions of Americans,” said J. Maurice McCantsPearsall, HRC’s Director of HIV and Health Equity. “Despite steadily declining HIV infection rates overall in the US, the HIV and AIDS epidemic has not slowed its assault on our community’s and country’s most marginalized – including gay, bisexual, and transgender people, especially Black and Latinx communities. Thanks to

USPSTF’s recommendations, Americans can now look forward to vastly increased access to health care interventions that are proven to save lives. Insurance providers and doctors should act swiftly to initiate PrEP coverage consistent with the recommendations and expand testing using the latest technologies. While there is still much work to be done, we are now that much closer to ending this epidemic.”

Today, the US Preventive Services Task Force has finalized its rating for PrEP, giving it an “A” rating. In addition, as in 2013, the USPSTF provides a grade A recommendation for routine, voluntary HIV screening among all persons aged 15 to 65 years, all pregnant women, and all individuals at high risk of infection. The Affordable Care Act requires private insurers to cover preventive services recommended by the USPSTF with a grade of A or B with no cost-sharing – i.e., no deductible and no co-pay.

HIV continues to be a major public health crisis both in the United States and around the world. While major scientific advances have made it easier than ever to prevent and treat HIV, there remains no vaccine or cure, and tens of thousands of people continue to contract HIV every year. Insufficient funding for public health programs, ideological opposition to common sense prevention policies, and societal barriers including discrimination have made it especially difficult to turn the tide against the epidemic.

The disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on gay and bisexual Black and Latinx men and transgender women is a health inequity and civil rights injustice that demands the attention and action of a nation. While the causes of this disparity are multifaceted, it is fueled by an intersection of inequities and injustices, including stigma and discrimination.

Fifty percent of LGBTQ Americans live in the 30 states that still lack statewide legal nondiscrimination protections. Dealing with the potential consequences of bias and discrimination – job loss, homelessness, lack of health care insurance – often results in LGBTQ people engaging in behaviors that facilitate the spread of HIV. AntiLGBTQ bias further enables the spread of HIV by discouraging many LGBTQ people from getting tested or treated for HIV for fear of harassment.

Many Americans – including LGBTQ people – continue to face societal and economic barriers that prevent them from accessing health care. Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the US in 2011, only 30% of them had consistently taken their medication and were able to lower the amount of HIV in their bodies to undetectable levels.

Despite these barriers, major advancements in HIV prevention, treatment, and care have put an AIDS-free generation squarely within reach. HIV tests are faster and more reliable than ever before. HIV medications are safer and more effective,

and there are now several ways to prevent the spread of HIV, including condoms and PrEP. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is safe and highly effective at preventing people from becoming HIV-positive. And with the implementation of fourth-generation lab-based testing, providers can diagnose HIV infections in their early stages and begin treatment immediately. This helps ensure that patients remain engaged in the continuum of care and can have a significant impact on their health and the community’s health.

As we continue to fight for full federal equality for LGBTQ Americans, better funding, education, and access to health care for our community, and to dismantle the systems of oppression that prevent LGBTQ people of color, transgender people, and other LGBTQ people from thriving, today’s news represents important progress in the fight to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

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Pride Calendar

60,000 individuals marching in support of LGBTQ pride. This year the parade will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, which became a national movement and eventually led to marches around the country, including the first Seattle Pride march in 1974 – which has been held in late June ever since to commemorate the June 28th Stonewall Riots. The 2019 Grand Marshals include Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, drag performer/actor/singer/ comedian Jinkx Monsoon, and four organizations – Bailey-Boushay House, Camp Ten Trees, Seattle Children’s Gender Clinic, and U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle. The parade is a fun, community-wide celebration advancing awareness of LGBTQ issues and promoting mutual respect and equal human rights for all. Free, all ages. Updates and more info: www.seattlepride.org/parade.

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

PrideFest Seattle

12 noon-8pm. Seattle Center. Seattle’s official Pride Festival celebrates 50 years since the start of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, ignited by the Stonewall riots in New York City. Come one, come all, to this free celebration, to honor the events where Pride began. Music, food, information booths, and much more. Free admission. For updates see www.facebook.com/ events/386290931942076/.

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Seattle Storm Pride Game

4pm. Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion (3870 Montlake Blvd NE). The Storm host the Phoenix Mercury with Section 9 ticket sales benefiting Equal Rights Washington. Tickets ($25) at https://actionnetwork.org/ticketed_ events/2019-seattle-storm-pride-game. (These specially priced tickets can only be purchased at this site.)

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

Spec Script at Blue Moon

7:30pm. Blue Moon Tavern (712 NE 45th St). A reading of a TV show episode written by someone who has never actually seen the show! For tonight’s edition, the show is “Transparent” (Amazon) written by a Trans person and featuring an allTrans cast of readers. Suggested donation $7, 21+. Info: www.facebook.com/SpecScriptShow/.

FRIDAY, JULY 5

Seattle Mariners Pride Night

7:10pm (first pitch). T-Mobile Park (1250 1st Ave S). The Mariners take on the Oakland A’s at this year’s Pride Night. Attendees receive an exclusive Mariners Pride hat plus entry to a special pregame Pride event with light appetizers and cash

Tacoma Pride 12 noon-6pm. Pacific Avenue between South 7th and 9th streets. Tacoma Pride is bursting with activities, fun, and engagement with the resilient and brave LGBTQ community from Tacoma and the surrounding Pierce County area. Entertainment, booths from local organizations and businesses, food trucks and stalls, beer garden, youth dance tent, and much more! Free, family-friendly event hosted by the Rainbow Center (www.rainbowcntr.org). Visit www.facebook.com/ events/399061404026350/ for more info.

ets.com/events/95327232/gay-day-at-wildwaves-2019.

SUNDAY, JULY 14

Bellingham Pride Parade and Festival 12 noon (parade), 12 noon-6pm (festival). Parade assembles at corner of Halleck and Ohio streets and proceeds through downtown to Pride Festival at Market Depot Square (1100 Railroad Ave). More info: www.bellinghampride.org.

Pride Calendar

SATURDAY, JULY 20

Rainbow Health Fair

10am-5pm. Gay City (517 E Pike St). 21st annual event offering free health services for Trans women, Trans men, non-binary people, and Lesbian/Bi/Queer women, including massage, acupuncture, mammograms, HIV/STI testing, informedconsent clinic, reflexology and cuddle therapy. Gender-affirming hormone therapy also available (insurance or self-pay required). More info at www.facebook. com/events/759346554460032/.

SATURDAY, JULY 20

Kitsap Pride 2019 – “Stonewall 50” 11am-5pm. Evergreen Park (1500 Park Ave, Bremerton). Kitsap Pride is a festival celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in Kitsap County. This year’s festival will feature two stages of entertainment including live music, a beer/cocktail garden, food vendors, 50 local exhibitors, Olympic College art project, and kids activities. Our location is beautiful Evergreen Park which has plenty of room for you to lay out a beach blanket and picnic on the grass. Visit http://kitsappride.org/kitsap-pride-2019/ for more info.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

Everett AquaSox Pride Night

7:05pm. Funko Field (3900 Broadway, Everett). Join the AquaSox for a night of minor league baseball vs. the Spokane Indians. Special $30 Pride Night package includes AquaSox Pride T-shirt and upper box ticket (purchase before June 28 to assure your correct size). Enjoy $2.50 hot dogs, sodas, popcorn and 12-oz Coors Light. Tickets and info at www.milb.com/ everett/tickets/theme-nights/.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22SUNDAY, AUGUST 25

Pacific Northwest Black Pride PNW Black Pride celebrates, inspires and advances equality for all. TRANSFORMING | TRANSITIONING | TRANSCENDING. A weekend of special events. More details to come. For more information and to volunteer on the NW Black Pride Planning Committee, please contact Autry Bell at Autry@nwblackpride.com. Pacific Northwest Black Pride is a division of POCAAN of Seattle.

BEYOND THE SOUND

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

OutSpokane Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival

12 noon -1pm (parade); 12 noon-10pm (festival). W Spokane Falls Blvd & N Stevens St. (staging begins at 10:45am). This year’s theme: “To Thrive, Not Just Survive.” Since 1992, Spokane has seen the LGBTQ+ community come together to honor those brave individuals that fought back against the police raids in 1969 at

the Stonewall Inn in New York. We will continue the legacy of marching around downtown Spokane in memory of those who have fought for us to exist and to celebrate to beauty of our future! Parade will be followed by the Rainbow Festival at Riverfront Park, Lilac Meadows. A fireworks display caps the festivities at 10pm. Visit https://outspokane.org for updates.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15

& SUNDAY, JUNE 16

Portland Pride Waterfront Festival 12 noon-8pm (Sat), 11:30am-6pm (Sun). Tom McCall Waterfront Park (98 SW Naito Pkwy). Two-day event features music, comedy, community activists, food, beer garden, and much more. Watch for updated info at www.pridenw.org/portlandpride.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16

Portland Pride Parade 11am. North Park Blocks (NW Park Ave btwn W Burnside & NW Glisan St). Portland’s 25th annual Pride parade travels through Northwest Portland and along SW Naito Parkway to end at Tom McCall

Waterfront Park, site of the Portland Pride Festival. Info and updates at www.pridenw. org/portlandpride.

SUNDAY, JULY 7

Victoria (BC) Pride Festival 2019 12 noon-6pm. MacDonald Park at James Bay (212 Niagara St). Multifaceted festival featuring two entertainment stages, beer garden, food court, vendor area, and youth pride/kids’ camp area. Free, all-ages event sponsored by the Victoria Pride Society and co-hosted by the GVNCS TwoSpirit Collective. Info: https://victoriapridesociety.org.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4

Vancouver (BC) Pride Parade and Festival 11am-6pm. This year’s theme: “50 Years and Still Fighting.” Sponsored by Vancouver Pride Society. Watch for updates at www.vancouverpride.ca.