SGN Jun 22, 2018 - Part 1

Seattle Gay News

IN MEMORIAM:

Arleigh Marquis

December 22, 1960 - June 5, 2018

Capitol Hill mourns the loss of our dear friend. On June 5, 2018, Arleigh Marquis went in peace. He is preceded in death by his mother, sister, and four brothers.

Born in Canada, Arleigh pursued an education in both law and medicine. Upon moving to the US, Arleigh settled in Seattle and had a very successful career as a medical examiner with both the King County Coroner’s Office and then the Snohomish County Coroner’s Office.

Arleigh was an active member of the Capitol Hill community. Everybody knew Arleigh! Fun and endless laughter fueled his friendships. He was always up for an adventure. Armed with his quick wit and surly disposition, you could count on him for a sarcastic comment or a supportive hug.

He was a dedicated friend, showing never-ending support by attending your art show, celebrating your birthday, or going to see your band or even that avantgarde play you had a part in – you could count on Arleigh to be in the audience. He surrounded himself with friends who shared the humor in his inappropriate comments and random shenanigans. His presence and charismatic personality will be vividly missed at this years Seattle Pride parade and events.

Our memories of Arleigh as a loving son, a devoted brother, and a dedicated friend will live in our hearts forever.

Death is that state in which one exists only in the memory of others... which is why it is not an end.

Join us for a celebration of Arleigh: Monday July 2, 2018, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Americana, 219 Broadway E., Seattle, WA 98102.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in honor of Arleigh Marquis to Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122, www. lamberthouse.org.

CAPITOL HILL

by MK Scott

SGN Contributing Writer

It was a decades-in-the-making moment when Mayor Jenny Durkan officially cut the ribbon for the Capitol Hill Station Development this past Tuesday, June 19th. Besides Durkan, the event also featured various speakers from Capitol Hill Housing, Sound Transit and the AIDS Memorial Pathway (AMP).

Capitol Hill Champion’s Cathy Hillenbrand was credited for her work and vision of the proposed development which she spearheaded for over a decade. Tom Rasmussen, former Seattle City Councilmember and current chair of the AMP, gave credit to George Bakan and the importance of the Seattle Gay News for years of service to the community.

Besides the ribbon cutting ceremony, the event had information tables staffed by

all the project partners including Capitol Hill Housing, Sound Transit, Capitol Hill Neighborhood Farmers Market and The AMP. The event also featured food and drinks provided by local purveyors, including Hayden Farms and Starbucks and a live jazz band.

The groundbreaking celebration marks the commencement of construction for the Capitol Hill Station Development, a longawaited project for the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Located atop the Capitol Hill Light Rail Station, the transit-oriented development will include four buildings. The new development will provide 428 apartments, including 178 affordable apartments, approximately 30,000 square feet of ground floor retail and 210 underground parking spaces. The development will also include a community room available to the public and a public plaza that will serve as the home of the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Farmers Market as well as a public space for other community events. The project is slated to open in the second quarter of 2020.

Photos by MK Scott

It’s official! It’s a wrap!

Burien Pride Festival caps record-breaking weekend

Nearly 5,000 attendees participated at Town Square Park

by Sarah Toce Burien Pride Committee

BURIEN, Wash. – The second annual Burien Pride festival, sponsored by Blissful Knead and Kaiser Permanente, saw approximately 5,000 attendees in a span of 10 hours on Saturday June 2, 2018. The free family-friendly event was held in Burien Town Square Park and included a 21+ beer garden sponsored by Elliott Bay Brewhouse, a play area with inflatables, two performance stages, and close to 100 vendors and community partners.

The evening was capped with performances by The Aqua-Nets and a two-hour drag show featuring the “Dames of Drag,”

starring Tru St. James, DonnaTella Howe, Kara Sutra, Aloy Niles, and Fraya Love.

“It was heartwarming and encouraging to see families and friends enjoying the festival again this year,” said Debra George, Burien Pride committee member.

“We wish to specifically acknowledge the Burien local businesses that either joined us for the first time or returned following last year’s event. We appreciate the ongoing support of Discover Burien and its mission toward economic development, education and promotion of the Burien Business Community.”

On May 7, 2018, the City of Burien officially proclaimed June 2 as Burien Pride Day. Burien residents gathered to celebrate

and honor the LGBTQ+ community in a ceremony held at City Hall.

“The involvement this year by the City of Burien was incredible,” said Sarah Toce, Burien Pride committee member. “We look forward to future partnerships next year.”

Approximately $8,000 was raised during Burien Pride 2018. Funds will be awarded to students by the newly formed Burien Pride Scholarship Committee later this year. Interested parties should visit www.burienpride. com as the website will be updated with information in the coming weeks.

Mark your calendars: Burien Pride returns on Friday, May 31, 2019 for Drag Queen Bingo and Saturday, June 1, 2019 for the festival.

For sponsorship information, please contact Sarah Toce at (206) 714-2277 or burienpride@gmail.com. Like Burien Pride on Facebook!

Burien Pride is an annual celebration produced by Discover Burien, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Discover Burien exists for economic development, education and promotion of the Burien Business Community. To learn more about Burien Pride or Discover Burien, please visit BurienPride.com or discoverburien.org.

Photos by Steph Brusig

South Park Queer Pride Picnic 2018

The 8th Annual South Park Queer Pride Picnic was held Sunday, June 4, 2018, on the banks of the Duwamish River in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle. The picnic is organized in partnership with Entre Hermanos, the leading Latinx LGBTQ health and leadership organization in the Puget Sound region for nearly 25 years. Though rain was forecast for the day, it held off until the very end.

The picnic kicked off with State Senator Bob Hasegawa stopping by to say a few words, while the Sisters of the Mother House of Washington graciously and flamboyantly greeted everyone.

Isabella of Noche Latina club night at Neighbours emceed the day’s entertainment, which included Aunt Betty Malone, who hosts the Rainbow Bingo games at the South Park Senior Center, as well as singersongwriter Latin Rose, who is releasing their 4th album. The picnic warmly welcomed Tallulah Banghead to their first public lipsync performance, and dancing filled the park to the lush Latin jazz sounds of Alma y Azucar for the final hour.

Thanks to the generosity of numerous sponsors, the picnic was able to offer free tamales from Carniceria El Paisano Deli in White Center, and entertainment for over 200 people who attended from South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods, as well as Tukwila, White Center, and West Seattle. The picnic organizers would especially like

to thank the Duwamish River Youth Corp, whose enthusiasm shone through as they helped set up and clean up the picnic site, as well as the South Park Arts Council, which once again hosted a kids’ art table, and the South Park Branch Library, for their presence and fabulous display of LGBTQ books and resources.

Event organizer Randy on Rose Street is deeply appreciative of the many local South Park and Queer community businesses, organizations, and individuals that helped make the picnic happen. The South Park Queer Pride Picnic continues to be the longest-running and largest Seattle neighborhood pride event that is held outside of Capitol Hill.

For more information or to help with next year’s event, please send an email to: gaypridesouthpark@hotmail.com.

2018 Sponsors

City of Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, Vulcan, Pride Foundation, Plumb Level and Square Fund, RT Brokerage, Entre Hermanos, Carniceria El Paisano, Duwamish River Youth Corps, South Park Arts, Sisters of the Mother House of Washington, Seattle Gay News, Rose Street Garden Society

Courtesy of South Park Queer Pride Picnic

Pride

Q-Squared announces Q-Camp 2018

Happy Pride from the Board of Q-Squared!

For many years in our small community celebrating Pride week has also meant signing up for CAMP and despite our 2-year hiatus we think some traditions are worth keeping.

Consider signing up for Q-Camp 2018 as part of your celebration of Pride 2018.

By signing up now you help us reach our minimum attendance faster. Reaching that magic number of attendees not only secures the space we need but allows us to introduce new pricing plans which we believe will allow us to reach out and introduce more guys to Q-Camp. You can learn all the details by going to: www.qcamp.org

If you don’t have time right now, here is a quick look at what’s new:

New Location – Vashon Island, just a quick ferry ride from West Seattle.

New Weekend – September 7th-9th the weekend after Labor Day so you don’t have to make those hard choices between Q-Camp and your current commitments or traditions.

New Comfortable Accommodations – Shared or private double rooms perfect for a couple or triad of buddies. This new property includes private bathrooms with towels, sheets and blankets provided in each room. You can leave your sleeping bag at home. The meals are delicious and healthy; designed to accommodate special dietary needs.

All this that is new with the old magic of CAMP awaits you. Are you ready to sign up today?

Hope to see you soon and Happy Pride!

The Q-Squared Board

National Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS join with Health Departments and Local Organizations to help provide free HIV testing in more than 180 cities for National HIV Testing Day on June 27

Testing at participating Walgreens supports ongoing commitment to community outreach on HIV

Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS, a leading national public information response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, are working with 220 health departments, AIDS service organizations, and other community organizations to help provide free HIV testing and information at participating Walgreens stores in more than 180 cities on National HIV Testing Day on Wednesday, June 27, between 10am - 7pm (local time).

Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS are helping the participating testing partners to expand the free HIV testing to even more locations this year with a focus on heavily affected communities. Since 2011, more than 40,000 HIV tests have been conducted as part of the activation. BioLytical Laboratories and OraSure Technologies, Inc. are donating test kits and Abbott Rapid Diagnostics is providing support for outreach.

Local agencies will be at participating Walgreens stores to provide free, confidential, and fast test results on site, without the need to schedule an appointment. Counselors will be on hand to answer questions about HIV prevention and treatment options, including PrEP, a medication that offers another effective means of protection for those testing negative for HIV.

“Walgreens has supported people living with HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic more than 30 years ago,” said Glen Pietrandoni, senior director, patient care and advocacy, at Walgreens. “Early testing can

mean access to effective treatment and the opportunity to go on to live a healthy normal lifespan. In addition, with proper adherence to medication, successfully treated patients cannot easily transmit the virus to others. As we continue to work towards an end to HIV/ AIDS, it is crucial that testing and trusted resources on treatment are made more widely available within communities.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HIV testing as part of routine health care. An estimated 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV and approximately 1 in 7 are unaware of their status. [1]

“There are more options than ever to prevent and treat HIV,” said Tina Hoff, Senior Vice President and Director, Health Communications and Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation, which leads Greater Than AIDS. “The first step is knowing your status. This collaboration normalizes HIV testing as part of everyday life, while helping to educate about these advances.”

The community partnership is part of an ongoing commitment by Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS to broaden the reach of HIV testing and information in non-traditional settings and to support the outreach of local organizations. Year round, HIVtrained pharmacy staff are available at more than 1,000 Walgreens locations nationwide, including communities with high HIV prev-

alence, offering one-on-one, confidential medication counseling to support treatment adherence, and assisting with other care needs, such as identifying financial assistance options.

For a complete list of participating Walgreens locations and supporting partners for this year’s National HIV Testing Day, as well as additional information about HIV testing, including year-round testing sites, visit www.greaterthan.org/walgreens.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (walgreens.com), a provider of trusted care in communities since 1901, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. As of August 31, 2017, Walgreens operates 8,100 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

About Greater Than AIDS

Greater Than AIDS is a leading national public information response focused on the U.S. domestic HIV epidemic. While national in scope, Greater Than AIDS focuses on communities most affected. Through targeted media messages and community outreach, Greater Than AIDS and its partners works to increase knowledge, reduce stigma and promote actions to stem the spread of the disease.

About Kaiser Family Foundation

The Kaiser Family Foundation, a leader in health policy analysis, health journalism and communication, is dedicated to filling the need for trusted, independent information on the major health issues facing our nation and its people. The Foundation is a non-profit private operating foundation based in San Francisco, California.

[1] HIV/AIDS Basic Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last updated: December 18, 2017, Last accessed: May 2018 https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/ statistics.html

of Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS

OutRight reacts to the United States withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council

[On June 19], at a press conference held at the State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Nikki Haley announced the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council. The withdrawal marks the latest announcement in a concerning trend of US divestment from United Nations institutions and multilateral agreements including the 2017 defunding of the UN Population Fund and the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation.

The UN Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, is the world’s preeminent human rights institution with a mandate to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and to address human rights violations. The Council has been a site for progress for LGBTIQ human rights over the past ten years, leading to the recent establishment of

JEFF SESSIONS

continued from cover

infants and toddlers – are now in detention camps separated from their parents.

“Specifically, the group accuses him of child abuse in reference to separating young children from their parents and holding them in mass incarceration facilities, immorality, racial discrimination, and ‘dissemination of doctrines contrary to the established standards of doctrines’ of the United Methodist Church,” the church posted on its website.

Sessions provoked the church charges by citing scripture, Romans 13:1-3, to justify his actions. In the passage, St. Paul urges Christians to submit to government authority. In the mid-19th century, the same passage was used to justify slavery in the American South.

Experts say bringing charges against a layperson is almost unprecedented.

“I really never would have thought I’d be working on charges against anybody in the Methodist connection, much less a layperson,” said the Rev. David Wright, a Pacific Northwest Conference elder and chaplain at the University of Puget Sound, in a press release.

Wright was one of the leading organizers of the effort to charge Sessions.

According to Rev. William Lawrence, professor emeritus at the Perkins School of Theology and an authority on Methodist history, the charges would have to go through several steps before the church can discipline Sessions.

First, the pastor of Sessions’ home church in Mobile, Alabama, would have to “counsel” the attorney general on why his behavior is decidedly not Christian.

the first UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a position currently held by Victor Madrigal-Borloz.

OutRight Action International has released an organizational statement on the importance of international human rights mechanisms and US withdrawal:

“The US withdrawal from the Human Rights Council is symptomatic of overall US isolationism and a move away from multilateral diplomacy. This administration’s “America First” promise is rearing its head in every foreign and domestic policy decision, including this one.

While the US may see reasons for criticism of the Human Rights Council and advocate for reform, the institution has been the central international mechanism of accountability and justice for marginalized groups and people the world over. For many LGBTIQ people, the Human Rights Council and the United Nations as a

whole are ports of last call when their own governments fail them.

Withdrawing from the Council sends a message to other countries that its acceptable to walk away from the system when it doesn’t suit you to be there. Imagine, what would happen if all countries walked away from the UN because of disagreements?

Investing in multilateralism is not just integral to preserving and progressing human rights, it is essential to promoting peace and security. OutRight believes in the international system and the integrity of the Human Rights Council. We look forward to continue working with everyone who shares these values.”

About OutRight Action International

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 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. We vigilantly monitor and document human rights abuses to spur action when they occur. We train partners to expose abuses and advocate for themselves. Headquartered in New York City, OutRight is the only global LGBTIQspecific 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

“I’m not aware of any circumstance in the 50-year history of the United Methodist Church when a complaint against a layperson moved beyond the stage of its resolution by a district superintendent or a pastor,” Lawrence said.

“I hope his pastor can have a good conversation with him and come to a good resolution that helps him reclaim his values that many of us feel he’s violated as a Methodist,” Wright said. “I would look upon his being taken out of the denomination or leaving as a tragedy. That’s not what I would want from this.”

Bishop David Graves of the AlabamaWest Florida Conference, Sessions’ home base, declined to comment to reporters about

International

from being subject to conversion therapy in 2015, prohibiting practitioners from using public health insurance to cover the cost. That same year, Manitoba adopted a regulation issued by its ministry of health, stating “It is the position of the Manitoba government that conversion therapy can have no place in the province’s public health-care system.”

Several people, including Peter Gajdics, testified before the council about their experiences with conversion therapy, also called reparative therapy or ex-gay therapy. Gajdics told “PBS News Hour” that his psychiatrist “relied on a number of strategies to ‘cure’ patients of same-sex attrac-

tion. He said his doctor “prescribed a cocktail of psychiatric drugs at dangerously high doses and directed him to bottle up his feces to sniff whenever he felt attracted to a man.” He added that his doctor believed events from Gajdics’ childhood caused his “homosexual tendencies.”

In January 2017, Gajdics wrote an email to Vancouver’s City Council making his case for a ban against conversion therapy by introducing his new book, The Inheritance of Shame, offering to share his story with officials who would hear it. That prompted a council committee focused on LGBTQ issues to look into it.

“Conversion therapy is not therapy, it’s just torture, abuse, and people still need to be educated,” Gajdics said.

Nearly every major medical and mental health association in the USA has said it is

the charges, but he did release a statement about Sessions’ order for immigration agents to take children away from their parents.

“I implore Congress and the current administration to do all in their power to reunite these families,” he said. “Changes to these laws need to be addressed starting today. Let us join our voices in prayer for the separated families, for those working to end this injustice and for our nation’s leaders.”

The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, issued a statement on behalf of the church that criticized US government policy and Sessions’ attempt to justify it.

“To argue that these policies are consis-

tent with Christian teaching is unsound, a flawed interpretation, and a shocking violation of the spirit of the Gospel,” she said in a statement.

Former First Lady Laura Bush, also a Methodist, sharply criticized the administration yesterday in an op-ed in the Washington Post

“I live in a border state. I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral,” Bush wrote.

“And it breaks my heart.”

It is lawful under both US and international law for foreign citizens to enter the US seeking asylum.

ineffective, unproductive and downright destructive to people. Ashleigh Yule is a registered psychologist in Calgary who works with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and Two-Spirited youth. She said she has had young adults tell her stories of how as teenagers they were pushed into such programs.

She told Red Deer Advocate, “The Vancouver bylaw is hugely symbolic in its public support to many people, but it’s also practical, because it offers non-judgmental direction to those examining their sexuality.

“My professional opinion would be having these pieces of legislation that are either at a municipal level, at a provincial level, ultimately at a federal level, would be very helpful,” she told the paper. “I don’t feel conversion therapy is a form of therapy.

I feel it is a harmful practice.”

City Councilman Tim Stevenson, 73, spearheaded the bylaw. He told “News Hour” he expects the new law to offer hope to many people facing dark times in their lives. He said he struggled with his sexual identity until he was 30; knowing there was a law offering support during his time of inner turmoil would likely have provided some comfort, he said.

“I think it’s more significant than you might think at first blush, because it really does show an attitudinal change within society,” said Stevenson, a former New Democrat member of the BC legislature and United Church minister.

“Can you imagine 20 years ago this coming forward?”

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