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Seattle Gay News
SGN exclusive interview: Mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan is running for office for the first time, but she’s no stranger to politics. A lawyer, former US attorney, family friend of the Gregoires, member of two police review boards, Mike Lowry staffer, and daughter of an 18-year veteran of the Washington state legislature, Durkan knows her way around the corridors of power. She announced her candidacy for mayor only three days after incumbent Ed Murray dropped out of the race in the wake of a sex abuse scandal. According to two recent polls, Durkan is likely to be one of the two candidates who will make it to the general election in November. Nevertheless, she has struggled to distinguish herself from her competition. “We are all varying shades of blue,” she told the SGN. Asked explicitly what makes her different from the five or six other candidates who have a chance to make it through to November, Durkan points to her background. “I bring decades of proven results on progressive issues,” she says, “and I’m one of only two candidates with executive experience,” the other one being former mayor Mike McGinn. “I can bring people togeth-
Jenny Durkan mayoral announcement – Photo by Nate Gowdy
er, and bring results.” Competitor Bob Hasegawa was a union leader before serving in the state legislature; Nikkita Oliver is an attorney, artist, and activist; Jessyn Farrell was chair of the Transportation Choices coalition; and Mike McGinn was chair of the Sierra Club, a neighborhood activist, and as mayor, a foe of downtown business interests. In contrast, Durkan has been endorsed
Members of Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/ AIDS quit Trump “does not care,” they charge
Photo by Evan Vucci, Associated Press
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Six of the 18 members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) resigned June 13, saying that Donald Trump “simply does not care” about fighting the disease. In a June 16 op-ed in Newsweek maga-
zine, Scott Schoettes, Counsel and HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal, explained why he and his colleagues quit PACHA. “As advocates for people living with HIV, we have dedicated our lives to combating this disease and no longer feel we
see HIV/AIDS page 11
by the Seattle Hotel Association and the Chamber of Commerce. Asked how these business endorsements will win her the votes of regular working people, Durkan looks back at her life experiences. “I’d ask people to look at what I’ve done over 30 years,” she replies. “I was raised in and around union issues. My dad was a leader in the Democratic Party. At my house, the idea was if you can walk, you
can doorbell. “As a lawyer I represented injured workers and unions – workers with mesothelioma, workers injured in explosions. “As US attorney, I formed a civil rights unit in my office. Civil rights laws are there to protect individuals, and they’re as important as any other aspect of a US attorney’s job.” As US attorney, Durkan also played a role in the US Department of Justice investigation that found Seattle police guilty of a “pattern and practice” of excessive force and racial discrimination. The finding eventually led to a federal consent decree requiring the police to clean up their act. “Police reform not a destination,” Durkan says. “As the city grows, we have to remain conscious of the question: is the training sufficient? There always has to be an ethos of improvement. “Police services also can’t be viewed in isolation – every day the police encounter people with mental health problems, addiction, health care issues. “Police and firefighters are our first-line social workers. They don’t resent that – when I meet with them, they don’t tell me that – but we have to reconfigure their role. We have to look at the problems holistically.”
see DURKAN page 5
Pride isn’t cheap:
Capitol Hill Chamber responds to question about lack of Pride banners on Capitol Hill by MK Scott SGN A&E Writer During all this Capitol Hill Pride chaos, has anyone one wondered where the traditional Pride banners are that used to line Broadway? The tradition was started in the mid1980’s by Bill Swigart and was taken over by the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce. I went directly to Executive Director, Sierra Hansen for a response. Hansen explained that the company that used to put up the banners had retired. The city also requires a permit to turn off the Metro Trolley lines (which costs about a $1,000) in order to put up the 26 banners, and another $1,000 permit to take the banners down. In addition it costs $6,000 to print the banners raising the price tag to $8,000. When I asked Hansen if there were any steps to reach out to notify the community of the extra cost, she replied that they had conducted a survey in early 2017, and the banners were not a priority that the Chamber wanted to spend money on. Other steps to notify the community never happened. Hansen was enthusiastic about if anyone in the community wanted to take this project on to ensure this tradition continues.
Pride banner on Broadway, 2011 – Photo by Priscilla Long
Seattle Gay News publisher, George Bakan said he would get involved as a sponsor and would welcome the community to come together and support the project for next year.
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Pride amid diversity by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer I have a confession to make: I missed my hometown Equality Rally for Unity and Pride in Fort Lauderdale. I was on my way south from gay summer camp when I got caught in a massive tie-up that stopped my car for hours; no surprise to all who have to drive on I-95 from Jacksonville and Miami. Looking back, I could have gone to the Rally in Nashville, which was close to the camp, or even to the National March in Washington, D.C. Or I could have gone to the Rally in West Palm Beach, had I known about it. But I tried to make it home on time, and I failed. Though I did not attend an Equality Rally, I heard about the Rallies from participants and from media reports. Several hundred people gathered at Huizenga Plaza in the name of Unity and Pride. In some respects, they were united. Participants protested against the political backlash brought about by the Trump Administration; and they mourned the 49 lives lost at the Pulse Nightclub Massacre of a year before. In other matters, however, there was division. Activists from the Food Not Bombs Group protested the presence of U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and attacked Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler for his campaign against the homeless. Bobby Henry, owner of the African-American newspaper The Westside Gazette, was correct when he urged participants, who gathered together in the name of Unity, to practice what they preached. Fort Lauderdale was not the only city where dissent and division put a damper on the Pride celebrations. In Washington, D.C. the Capital Pride Parade, held a day before the National March, was interrupted by members of the group No Justice No Pride, who protested Capital Pride’s lack of board diversity, its reliance on corporate sponsors, and the presence of the Metropolitan Police Department, notorious for its brutal treatment of racial minorities. In Philadelphia, some palefaces were startled by the appear-
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Fort Lauderdale – Photo courtesy of Duncan Aviation
ance of a new rainbow flag that contained black and brown stripes. The flag was created as a means to combat racism and to make LGBTQ people of color more visible. In Los Angeles, some who enjoyed that city’s annual Pride Parades were upset when it was replaced by a more politically-focused #ResistMarch that included Resistance groups like Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Black Lives Matter. The National March itself was criticized and boycotted by the Log Cabin Republicans, which is not surprising since the event was billed as an anti-Trump protest. March organizers and participants made much of uniting our community. Though we are willing to come together for Pride parades and rallies, the fact is that we not united. We have nothing in common but our unorthodox sexual orientation or our transgressive gender identity. We are divided by our race, sex, age, religion, HIV status, physical or mental ability, health, wealth, education level and/or immigration status, among other things. And we are divided by our politics; especially in a country that is as politically divided as ours is today. And there is no equality. The standard of living of a poor, HIV positive, trans* woman of color is different than the standard of living of an affluent, white, married man or woman. This is a fact that no Equality March or Rally for Unity and Pride can deny. Even within subgroups, we have divisions. Take my own example, as a gay
member of the Latinx community. I was born in Havana, and my surname is Monteagudo, so I am obviously Latino. But I am also a light-skinned man of European descent; and my family and I benefitted from the U.S. government’s unusual leniency and generosity extended towards Cuban refugees in the 1960’s. What do I have in common with a poor, dark-skinned Mexican or Central American trying to enter this country against the might of an anti-immigrant Trump administration? Growing up in Miami, a city with a large Cuban-American community, I never experienced racism, though I knew some others who did. If I experienced any prejudice, it was from other Cuban-Americans on account of my gay sexual orientation. Thus, as time went by, I drifted away from other Cubans, except for my blood relatives. Today, most of my close friendships are with gay men of Eastern European Jewish descent – my two late partners were Ashkenazi, as is the man that I am currently dating – who are also politically progressive. To be honest, I would rather spend time with a furry Jewish bear who is a Democrat than with Marco Rubio. We need to unite. The stakes are too big; and our enemies are too powerful. We must work together against the forces that seek to destroy us or dehumanize us. At the same time, we must recognize and accept our differences and the individual issues that are important to each one of us. You are you and I am who I am; and no call for Unity or Equality will hide that fact.
Celebrating 43 Years!
My take on this year’s Gay Pride controversy around the country over corporate sponsors by Mark Segal Philadelphia Gay News Pride is very special to me, since I helped in the first Gay Pride march in 1970. At that time it was not a “Gay Pride” march, but rather a march to show – using today’s terms – our resistance to society’s portrayal of us. It was also a celebration of what we created in the year since the Stonewall Riots. But mostly, it was a statement that we no longer would be in the closet. We were out loud and in your face! Craig Rodwell was the inspiration for Pride. The name for that first revolutionary event was Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March and Gay In. It later was shortened to Gay Pride and various other names around the world. But its first incar-
nation was as a march, not a parade. It had no corporate sponsors and it was all about inclusivity and welcoming the entire diversity of our community. It was, to this day, the most unifying moment of this community of ours. That’s not to say that we were at that time, like today, in agreement across the community. During meetings to create the march, there were discussions on whether certain segments of our community should be allowed to join in. It was the spirit and leadership of Rodwell who understood that, at least one day a year, we should show our unity and support the pioneering work we all were doing. Anyone who was willing to be out was invited to join. The miracle that goes unnoticed is a simple point. Up to that march, the most
that anyone could get to demonstrate for LGBT equality anywhere in the nation was fewer than 100 people. But on that first June Pride, anywhere from 3,000-15,000 marched (depending on whose numbers you use). Those numbers cross the gamut of reporting, from The New York Times (5,000) to the FBI (3,000) to those of us who were there (5,000-15,000). That unity was short-lived. By 1972, strong disagreements began to appear and at times make their way to disruption on the stage. At one time, Gay Youth, of which I was a member, was called in to act as security for Bette Midler and had to plead with my sister Sylvia Rivera not to disrupt for the sake of unity. STAR, Rivera’s organization, and Gay Youth were partners at Gay Liberation Front meetings so she agreed,
but a few years later she stormed the stage, took over the microphone and was booed off the stage. This year, as we see some Pride events around the country facing controversy, it might be comforting to appreciate that it all happened before. And the only time we were truly united was at that first march. There’s a reason for that: We were out, loud and in your face – and we invited all to join us if they had that same pride. Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. His recently published best selling memoir, And Then I Danced, is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and was recently named NLGJA’s Book of the Year.
“Undecided” wins new polls on mayor’s race Murray has a shot if he runs as write-in
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Most Seattle voters have not made up their minds who they’ll vote for in the race for mayor, according to two new polls, but if incumbent mayor Ed Murray were still in the race, he’d be leading the pack. Murray dropped out of the race last month, his all-but-certain re-election derailed by a lawsuit charging him with paying for sex with a then-15-year-old boy in the 1980s. Murray denied the charges but said he felt they would become the central issue in the campaign if he stayed in the race. Survey USA poll A Survey USA poll released June 20 showed that former mayor Mike McGinn and former US attorney Jenny Durkan lead among the 21 candidates running to succeed Ed Murray as mayor of Seattle, but also that 33% of respondents would still have voted for Murray if he were in the race. The poll, released June 20, was based on 900 Seattle adults – 800 of whom are actually registered to vote. Respondents were polled by phone, smartphone, tablet, or similar device. Thirty-eight percent of those polled said they had not decided on a candidate, which “makes the 21-candidate race far from a foregone conclusion,” according to pollster Jay Leve. Of those who did favor a candidate other than Murray, 19% picked Mike McGinn and 14% named Jenny Durkan. Activist and attorney Nikkita Oliver came third with 9%, just ahead of state senator Bob Hasegawa with 8%. Former state representative Jessyn Farrell took 6%, and urban planner Cary Moon came in with 3%.
DURKAN
continued from cover Durkan told the SGN she wants to emphasize long-term planning, rather than short-term problem solving. “We should be asking, ‘What do we
The bad news for Murray – if he decides to go the write-in route – is that 51% of the respondents said he did the right thing by dropping out. If he were to run as a write-in candidate, 33% of the vote would likely be enough to get him through the primary and into the general election, but he would then have to overcome the objections of the 51% of voters who didn’t want him in the race in the first place. According to the poll, McGinn gets his support from males and younger people, and he also does well with Hispanic respondents. Curiously enough, McGinn also does well with self-identified Republican or conservative respondents, despite being known as a strong progressive who supports a city income tax. Republicans account for a very small percentage of the Seattle electorate, however. Only 10% of voters polled said they always vote for the Republican candidate. Thirty-eight percent said they vote Democratic, and 52% said they decide contest-bycontest. Durkan does well among female respondents, as well as older people – particularly those 65 and older. She also did better among educated and affluent voters, whereas McGinn had a broader reach across different education and income levels. Oliver does particularly well with voters who identified as strong Democrats or liberal-leaning. She also attracted more support among low-income and urban voters. Her strongest support was among Asian voters.
Mayor Ed Murray – Photo by David Kidd
Wilson Strategic poll The Wilson Strategic poll, published on June 21, shows a similar result. Twenty-two
percent of the respondents picked Murray as their first choice. Leaving Murray aside, Durkan and Hasegawa led the pack. Wilson polled a randomized section of Seattle residents who voted in at least three of four primary and general elections held in 2013 and 2015. It has a margin of error of four percentage points but used landline polling only, which would tend to exclude younger voters. In this poll, Durkan was chosen by 30% of the respondents and Hasegawa by 9%. McGinn was the choice of 6% of the poll’s respondents, leading Moon with 4%, Oliver with 3%, and Farrell with 2%. Pollster DJ Wilson said he was surprised by how unpopular some candidates
were. McGinn was viewed unfavorably by about 46% of respondents, while more than 20% had unfavorable views of Moon, Oliver, and Farrell. “Really only Durkan and Hasegawa had strong favorable-versus-unfavorable numbers,” said Wilson, calling Hasegawa “the first among equals” after Durkan. According to the Wilson poll, Durkan would be harmed the most if Murray ran as a write-in candidate. In that event, her share of the first-choice pie would drop from 30% to 18%. The primary election will be August 1. All ballots must be mailed in on or before that date. The top two candidates will then go to the general election in November.
want the city to look like, not in five years but 10-20 years from now?’” she says. What does she want the city to look like in 20 years?, we asked. “Affordability is critical to the future of this city,” Durkan replies. “People are getting pushed out, locked out, shut out. “There has to be more affordable housing. Additional units. We should also make housing policy that helps us meet our cli-
mate goals. We have to plan density. “We also have to get authority from Olympia to have more latitude in local property taxes. Then we can trade tax breaks for affordable housing. That’s how you could keep rents stable.” Is increasing supply sufficient to bring down housing costs? “You need supply and policy. Property tax is a policy issue,” she answered. “Look,
rent control hasn’t delivered wherever it’s been tried. You have to cooperate with developers – without that, we can’t create enough units. What you need is to incentivize workforce housing. Keep it affordable.” Primary election day is August 1. Ballots must be mailed on or before that date. The top two vote-getters will then go on to the November 7 general election.
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Seattle Gay News 5
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Sen. Patty Murray visits patients at Seattle community health clinic Up to 100,000 Washingtonians to lose insurance under GOP plan, 600,000 Medicaid patients at risk by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Sen. Patty Murray visited Seattle’s International Community Health Services (ICHS) clinic June 16, to hear directly from patients and health care providers about the devastating impact the pending Republican health care bill would have on local people. Like other community health clinics, the ICHS provides affordable health care to working families and other low-income patients, many from Seattle’s most vulnerable communities. In addition to ICHS CEO Teresita Batayola, Murray also met with ICHS patients Kelly Hill, an HIV-positive woman with a developmentally disabled son on Medicaid, and Doug Hathaway, a Parkinson’s disease patient whose medication is covered by Medicaid. Under the GOP health care plan reportedly being considered by the Senate, more than 600,000 people currently enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program could lose their coverage unless the state can find $1.4 billion in new revenue each year. Another 100,000 Washington residents could be priced out of their individual insurance plans. As the SGN goes to press on June 22, Republican senators have not released a full text of their health care bill and have scheduled no hearings on the legislation. Hathaway – a member of Pride At Work AFL-CIO who works as a church custodian – explained that the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) had helped him get the medication he needs to cope with his Parkinson’s disease. He never used the “relatively inexpensive catastrophic policy” he bought, since he’s “been blessed with good health for most of my life,” he said, “but I didn’t go to the doctor unless something was acutely wrong, be-
Senator Murray(center left) talks with International Community Health Services CEO Teresita Batayola (center right) and Seattle residents Kelly Hill (far left) and Doug Hathaway (far right) - Photo courtesy Sen. Murray’s office
cause I didn’t want to run up a bill.” Then he discovered that under the ACA he was eligible for expanded Medicaid and he enrolled in a program that provided him with annual checkups. It turned out to be just in time. “About a year and a half ago,” Hathaway explained, “I began to slow down and have difficulty doing things with my hands, but I thought I was just getting old. When I went in for my checkup last summer, my doctor noticed that my balance seemed a little off. She did some tests and diagnosed me with atypical-onset Parkinson’s disease, atypical because my hands don’t shake. “She started me on medication. The diagnosis was confirmed by a neurologist. They arranged for me to have three months of physical therapy, to learn exercises to
help maintain my strength and flexibility. I’ve got my dexterity back, and I’ve been able to keep working throughout. I’ve also seen a social worker and a counselor, to talk about my long-term plans. Medicaid covered all of this. “I’m 59, so I won’t qualify for Medicare for a while. The ACA has made it possible for me to get the medical care I need to stay in the workforce,” Hathaway concluded. If Hathaway had not had Medicaid coverage, or if he loses it under the Republican legislation, his disease could rapidly progress to the point that he is no longer able to work, or to get around without assistance. “The concern I heard today in stories from patients at ICHS about how they might lose coverage for life-saving treatment if Trumpcare is enacted was moving
and powerful,” Murray said at the conclusion of her ICHS visit. “The last thing patients and their families should have to worry about is Republicans taking the care they rely on away or forcing them to pay more – and that’s why I’m doing everything I can to make sure their voices are heard in back in Washington, DC, and fighting to keep Republicans from jamming this harmful bill through.” Murray is ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee – the committee that should have jurisdiction over health care legislation – but she has repeatedly complained that Republican Senate leaders will not show her the bill they intend to propose.
Murray, Cantwell send letter on LGBTQ rights to Trump “We urge you to change course,” they say by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Washington’s senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, have sent a tough letter to Donald Trump, taking him to task for his anti-LGBTQ actions since becoming president. “We urge you to change course and to commit yourself to promoting equality and protecting the right of all Americans to live free from discrimination,” the senators said in their letter. “If you refuse, and you continue pushing your anti-LGBTQ agenda, we will hold you accountable, every step of the way, for the harm that arises from your actions against LGBTQ Americans.” Among the issues cited by the senators were: • The US Departments of Justice and Education rescinding guidance that protected the rights of transgender students and clarified how the departments will en-
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force civil rights protections, causing uncertainty for Transgender students and our nation’s schools; • Several agencies, including the US Census Bureau, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and US Department of Health and Human Services, reversing course on even the most basic data collection related to sexual orientation and gender identity, limiting the ability to measure whether federal programs are meeting the needs of LGBTQ people; and • Nominating and appointing a series of homophobic and transphobic people to key posts within the administration. “Pride Month is a time when LGBTQ Americans and countless allies come together to celebrate the diversity that gives our country its strength. Since the beginning of your administration, you have claimed to be supportive of the LGBTQ community, yet the actions of your administration tell a markedly different story,”
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the senators wrote in their letter. “While your White House has said that you are ‘committed to protecting the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community, and continue to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as [you were] throughout the election,’ your actions as president are deeply concerning and in conflict with this statement,” the senators added. In their press release announcing the letter, Murray’s office cited HRC and GLAAD evaluations of Trump’s dismal record in office. GLAAD’s Trump Accountability Project, for example, documents the anti-LGBTQ actions of every prominent member of the Trump administration from the president on down. Both Murray and Cantwell are cosponsors of the LGBT Equality Act, which would add protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights laws.
Senator Maria Cantwell – Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Celebrating 43 Years!
Senate GOP health bill just as mean as the House version OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued the following statement in response to the US Senate today releasing its draft health care bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act: “The Senate Republicans drafted their health care bill in secret, and now we know why: It will erode the stability of our health insurance market and cause people – especially those who are sick or poor – to pay significantly more for less coverage. “This is not partisan rhetoric; it’s how insurance works. By removing the individual mandate, you guarantee that fewer healthy people will get coverage. If only people who need coverage buy it, the costs will rise for everyone. By removing the funding for cost-sharing subsidies, people
will face unaffordable deductibles and copays. “The Senate bill is not a mirror image of what the House passed, but the result is the same: It will seriously destabilize the health insurance market and harm the millions of individuals and families who have counted on having access to meaningful and affordable coverage. “The Senate bill makes deep cuts that will directly harm people who rely on Medicaid for their insurance. It reduces the number of middle-income people who qualify for premium subsidies and rolls back the Medicaid expansion starting in 2021. Medicaid covers half of all births in our country, and cutting its funding jeopardizes the health of women and children.
“Like the bill passed by the US House, it allows states to waive requirements to cover essential health benefits such as contraceptives, maternity care, and mental health care. And just like the House Republicans, Senate Republicans have rushed through their legislation in the dark of the night and without a thorough examination of the costs and effects on consumers by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Up to 24 million Americans would lose coverage under the House version, and we estimated that 700,000 people in Washington state could lose coverage if the bill becomes law. “My review of the Senate plan has just begun, and the CBO score – expected next week – will shed light on the true impacts
we can already begin to see. “As I’ve said many times before, we can make meaningful improvements to the Affordable Care Act that will help people in real ways using sound insurance principles, including tackling rising out-of-pocket costs for medical services and the surging prices of prescription drugs. “The latest bill pushed in secrecy by the Republican-controlled Congress will not bring relief to anyone other than the wealthy in search of another tax break. Everyone should be able to buy health insurance, regardless of their income, age, or health. Republicans are targeting the very same people they are sworn to represent, and people’s lives are at risk.”
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Volunteer Park Pride Festival, June 10 – All photos by Nate Gowdy
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Celebrating 43 Years!
Seattle Pride March for Love, Equality, and Solidarity, June 11 – All photos by Nate Gowdy
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Celebrating 43 Years!
Pramila Jayapal joins suit against Donald Trump: He “repeatedly violated the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause” by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle-area Rep. Pramila Jayapal has joined more than 200 of her congressional colleagues in a lawsuit against Donald Trump for violating the emoluments clause of the US Constitution. The Emoluments Clause of the Constitution states that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” Trump has failed to seek congressional consent for his business dealings with foreign powers, the lawsuit says. Consequently, members of Congress have been denied the opportunity to cast a binding vote that either gives or withholds their consent to his acceptance of these emoluments. The denial of that voting opportunity injures them within the meaning of Article III of the Constitution and provides standing to sue the President. Jayapal and her co-plaintiffs charge that Trump’s businesses have benefited from investments made by foreign governments since he took office, thus violating the Constitution.
In January 2017, for example, a lobbying firm working for Saudi Arabia spent $270,000 on rooms and other expenses at Trump’s Washington, DC, hotel after Inauguration Day. Last month, Trump made Saudi Arabia the first country he visited as president, and unlike previous presidential visitors to the kingdom, he completely ignored their human rights violations. In another example, the Chinese government recently granted preliminary approval of 38 new trademarks worth millions to Trump and one of his companies. In an apparent concession to China, Trump has softened his previous rhetoric about China, and reversed course on a campaign promise to label China a “currency manipulator.” Currently, President Trump has conflicts of interest in at least 25 countries, Jayapal’s office said in a June 21 statement. “When a president acts as though he is above the law, our democracy is deeply shaken and our country slides toward autocracy,” said Rep. Jayapal. “Since the day he took office, President Trump has repeatedly violated the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause by profiting from foreign governments without the consent of Congress. This pattern of behavior, like so much from this administration, is
Rep. Pramila Jayapal - Photo courtesy of ydwa.org
shocking and disturbing. Stymied from playing our constitutional oversight role by Republicans, we must seek accountability in the courts. “The Constitution is clear,” Jayapal con-
tinued. “It was written to prevent abuses of power, and I am confident that justice will prevail over the president’s flagrant lawbreaking.”
Oops! We accidently deleted protections for LGBT federal employees, Trump officials say by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Trump officials say that they accidentally removed protections for LGBT federal employees. Trump Commerce Secretary and former vulture capitalist Wilbur Ross issued a new version of the Secretarial Policy Statement on Equal Employment Opportunity – the guidelines for employee protections in his department. LGBT rights advocates quickly discovered that the new guidelines omit any reference to sexual orientation or gender identity. The Obama-era statement issued in 2016 listed protected characteristics as “race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, or disability.” The list issued by Ross simply says, “The Department of Commerce does not
HIV/AIDS
continued from cover can do so effectively within the confines of an advisory body to a president who simply does not care,” Schoettes wrote. “The Trump administration has no strategy to address the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, seeks zero input from experts to formulate HIV policy, and – most concerning – pushes legislation that will harm people living with HIV and halt or reverse important gains made in the fight against this disease…
tolerate behavior, harassment, discrimination, or prejudice based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.” When Commerce Department officials were asked by BuzzFeed News about the revised guidelines, they denied they were changing federal employment policies. “To be clear, the Department’s EEO policy statement was never intended to change the policy or exclude any protected categories,” the Commerce Department explained. “The Department of Commerce policy remains that we do not discriminate on the basis of transgender status and sexual orientation. Department employees will continue to enjoy the fullest extent of the protections of all the nondiscrimination laws.” Officials added that the policy would be reissued with the original wording restored. “Secretary Ross has directed the Department to reissue the policy statement to
address any concerns and prevent misinterpretation,” they promised. Their statement was met with considerable skepticism, however. “You can’t unring a bell,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Joel Kasnetz said. “By trying to erase LGBTQ people from the Commerce Department’s nondiscrimination policy, the Trump administration sent a crystal clear message to LGBTQ Americans: ‘You’re not welcome here.’ “While the Trump administration is trying to turn back the clock on progress, Democrats will fight for LGBTQ Americans’ right to feel safe in their place of work. “We demand the Trump administration make a commitment to strengthen instead of roll back protections for LGBT Americans.” David Stacy, HRC’s Government Affairs Director, said “Yet again, we see the
Trump/Pence Administration actively seeking to undermine rights for LGBTQ people. “The Department of Commerce’s latest move to exclude sexual orientation and gender identity in their Equal Employment Opportunity statement is mean-spirited, deceptive, and irresponsible. “Under the Civil Service Reform Act and the executive orders signed by Presidents Clinton and Obama, sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination is prohibited in federal employment. The Commerce Department’s EEO statement is meant to inform workers and applicants about their legal protections. “Cutting specific mention of sexual orientation and gender identity protections is a slap in the face to LGBTQ federal employees who proudly serve at the Department of Commerce and sadly signals that this administration does not value them.”
“While many members of the public are unaware of the significant impact that HIV/ AIDS continues to have in many communities – or that only 40 percent of people living with HIV in the United States are able to access the life-saving medications that have been available for more than 20 years – it is not acceptable for the US president to be unaware of these realities, to set up a government that deprioritizes fighting the epidemic and its causes, or to implement policies and support legislation that will reverse the gains made in recent years.” Created under Bill Clinton in 1995, PACHA is charged with providing “advice, information, and recommendations to the
Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding programs, policies, and research to promote effective treatment, prevention, and an eventual cure for HIV.” Members are appointed by the president and include public health officials, researchers, health care providers, faith leaders, HIV advocates, and people living with HIV. PACHA also monitors and provides recommendations to effectively implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which was created by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy in 2010 and revised in 2015, under the Obama administration. In addition to Schoettes, Lucy Bradley-
Springer, Gina Brown, Ulysses Burley III, Michelle Ogle, and Grissel Granados also quit. Among the Trump policies they object to are taking down the Office of National AIDS Policy website and failing to appoint anyone to lead the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. The group said that the last straw that led them to quit the council was Trump’s health care plan, which, if implemented, would severely harm those living with HIV by defunding the Medicaid system. More than 40% of HIV-positive people get medical care through Medicaid, the six noted.
June 23, 2017
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Jeff Sessions’ DOJ vetoed collection of LGBT data, documents show by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Jeff Sessions – Photo by Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Jeff Sessions’ Department of Justice (DOJ) vetoed collection of data on the LGBT community by the American Community Survey (ACS), according to documents published by US Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware. The ACS used to collect and publish data on LGBT Americans at the request of President Obama’s attorney general, Loretta Lynch, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. However, once Donald Trump became president, administration officials questioned whether the ACS should continue to collect such information. The Census Bureau, which runs the ACS, then sent a letter to the DOJ asking whether data on the LGBT community should continue to be part of the survey. “It has come to my attention that Department of Justice officials have recently contacted Census regarding the appropriateness of certain Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) topics on the upcoming American Community Survey,” the
Census Bureau’s attorney wrote to the DOJ. “As you know, it is the prerogative of the Department of Justice to determine which topics it wishes to propose for inclusion in the Survey. “In order to meet certain statutory reporting deadlines, my client, Census, seeks to determine whether the Department of Justice continues to view the placement of new content related to LGBT populations in the American Community Survey as necessary to meet the Department of Justice’s continuing needs and priorities. “Please let me know whether the Department of Justice wishes to continue, modify, or withdraw the request made.” In its response, the DOJ confirmed it would be withdrawing the request. “Your letter asks if the Department still wishes to maintain that request, and you have further indicated that a response is needed immediately,” the DOJ said in its reply. “Because such a request requires thorough analysis and careful consideration, the Department is unable to reaffirm its request.” After the Trump administration with-
drew the request, the Census Bureau publicly announced it would no longer ask questions on sexual orientation and gender identity. Speaking to NPR, Carper and Sen. Kamala Harris of California questioned the DOJ decision to veto collection of LGBTrelated data. “These communications raise concerns about the role of the DOJ and its influence on government data collection,” the senators said. Other Trump administration departments have also cancelled data collection on LGBT Americans. Earlier this year, for example, the Department of Health and Human Services under Tom Price decided not to collect any more data on LGBT populations. A question about sexual orientation was also removed from the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP), an annual national survey of recipients of services for elderly people. Removing the question on sexual orientation was the only change made to the survey, and no justification was given.
New AHF billboards warn of “Syphilis Tsunami” LOS ANGELES – AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has launched its latest outdoor advertising campaign with new billboards warning of a “Syphilis Tsunami” going up around Los Angeles and other U.S. cities this week. AHF’s “Syphilis Tsunami” outdoor advertising campaign references the world-renowned landscape print “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Katsushika Hokusai to draw attention to dramatically rising rates of syphilis across the country. In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted an estimated 33% increase of infectious syphilis cases from 2014-2016. The national response needed to this growing public health crisis is made even more urgent by the fact that Pfizer, the manufacturer of Bicillin L-A (Penicillin G benzathine), the preferred medication used to treat syphilis and the only treatment recommended by the CDC for pregnant women with the infection, has refused to meet the medical demand through constant drug shortages and multiple stockouts of
the treatment over the past year, as widely reported by news organizations and health agencies. In May, health advocates from AHF and other groups took to the streets in Manhattan to protest in front of Pfizer’s New York City corporate headquarters to draw attention to the drug company’s third drug stockout of Bicillin L-A in less than one year. “For several years, AHF has been sounding the alarm on the rising rates of syphilis and other STDs through our outdoor advertising campaigns, including our ‘Syphilis Explosion’ billboards that made headlines around the world, and yet we continue to see an inadequate response from the CDC and the drug companies to address this growing public health threat,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “Clearly, we need to keep making the public aware of syphilis and encourage sexually active individuals to get tested for STDs regularly and be treated. By posting these billboards in highly visible areas, we also want to keep pressure on public health of-
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June 23, 2017
ficials to push Pfizer to produce sufficient quantities of the medication needed to address the syphilis epidemic.” “Pfizer, which has the exclusive patent on Bicillin L-A, is the third largest drug company in the world, with more than $50 billion in revenue reported in 2016, yet, somehow this American pharmaceutical powerhouse has been unable or unwilling to prepare for, and/or meet the demand by medical providers, pharmacies – and patients – for its syphilis medication for nearly the entire past year,” said Jessica Reinhart, Associate Director of Community Outreach for AHF. “We will continue to call on Pfizer to right this ship or allow a generic drug maker to begin manufacturing and selling the medication.” As a follow up to AHF’s groundbreaking “Syphilis Explosion” outdoor advertising campaign, the “Syphilis Tsunami” billboards will appear in Los Angeles, CA; Oakland, CA; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL and Columbus, OH. The outdoor campaign
will be complemented by a digital media campaign to draw attention to the national syphilis epidemic and to put pressure on Pfizer to supply Bicillin L-A in quantities that meets the growing demand for treatment. To find locations for free STD/HIV screening, visit www.freestdcheck.org. Seattle’s AHF Healthcare Center is located at 1016 E Pike St. 206-302-2020. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 768,000 individuals in 39 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www. aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www. facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us: @ aidshealthcare Courtesy of AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Celebrating 43 Years!
Oregon gives legal recognition to gender-nonbinary people by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Oregon has become the first US state to give legal recognition to gender-nonbinary residents. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown – who is out as Bi – signed a bill June 19 giving Oregon residents a third gender option on their state documents. In addition to “F” and “M,” Oregonians will be able to choose “X” when the law goes into effect on July 1. Oregon residents will also be able to request changes to the gender markers on their state-issued documents without a doctor’s note. The change gives legal relief to nonbinary, gender-fluid, gender-queer, and Trans people who feel that “female” or “male” gender choices fail to capture their identities. “This change in ID is a huge piece of validation for me,” J Gibbons, a nonbinary
Transgender Portland resident told The Guardian newspaper. “The state of Oregon sees me for who I am,” they added. “I don’t even think ‘excitement’ can capture all of my emotions about this change.” Oregon has been a pioneer in protecting gender expression. In March, Patch, a 27-year-old video game designer from Oregon, became the first legally “agender” person in the United States. Patch does not use pronouns at all and will have no gender markers on Patch’s state-issued documents. Patch also got the right to be mononymous – in other words to be known by one name only, with no surname. Earlier this month, the California State Senate passed a bill very similar to the Oregon measure, allowing its residents to choose a third gender option on their state documents. The legislation still needs to be passed by the State Assembly and signed
Photo by Michael Caronna / Reuters
by Gov. Jerry Brown. Californians who want to change gender markers on government documents have to
submit proof that they have gotten medical treatment to transition to the gender they identify with.
American Medical Association adopts resolutions opposing policies that harm Transgender people
AMA House of Delegates approves resolution opposing efforts to discriminate and supporting policies ensuring equal access to programs and facilities based on gender identity WASHINGTON – On June 13, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization,
hailed the adoption of resolutions by the American Medical Association (AMA) opposing discriminatory efforts to restrict access for transgender people to services and facilities, including restrooms, and supporting policies that ensure equal access to those same programs and facilities in accordance with one’s gender identity. “The AMA, one of the most respected associations of medical professionals in the world, knows better than most the harmful consequences of ill-conceived anti-transgender actions,” said Mary Beth Maxwell, HRC Senior Vice President for Programs, Research and Training. “Policies that seek to restrict access for transgender people to vital programs and facilities can result in negative physical and mental health outcomes for those targeted for discrimination and mistreatment. HRC welcomes this week’s resolutions by the AMA that
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underscore the need for inclusive, affirming policies to ensure transgender people’s well-being, safety and health.” The American Medical Association is the premier national organization representing physicians, residents and medical students on issues of medicine and public health. The AMA has previously adopted resolutions affirming the medical necessity of transition related care for transgender individuals, opposing the use of so-called conversion therapy, and calling for access to accurate identity documents for transgender individuals, among other issues affecting the health of transgender people. The resolutions come in the midst of ongoing efforts by extremists to enshrine discrimination against LGBTQ people. In 2017, more than 130 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in 30 states. Last week, after the Texas legislature adjourned, Gov-
ernor Greg Abbott called a special session specifically charged with passing legislation to discriminate against transgender Texans. The special session is set to begin in mid-July. To learn more about transgender equality, visit hrc.org/transgender.
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Seattle Gay News 13
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. 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 Human Rights Campaign Foundation
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Celebrating 43 Years!
WEEKLY PETS: Adoption Center
Sunday – Wednesday | 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday – Saturday | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Phone: (425) 649-7563 Email: adoption@seattlehumane.org
ABBY
Meet Abby, a gorgeous 4-year-old kitty! A true beauty, she has silky grey and orange fur, bright green eyes and the sweetest face. Abby is a little reserved and would love to find a home with a patient and understanding adopter that can help her confidence shine through. Come sweep Abby off her paws today at Seattle Humane! You’ll be glad you did. As with all of our cats, Abby is spayed, microchipped and vaccinated. All of our cats have been tested for Feline Leukemia/FIV and go home with a certificate for an examination by a King County veterinarian and their very own identification tag and collar. PLUS, most cat adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion - a great way to start off on the right paw!
Doggie Drag Contest!
THERESA
Meet Theresa, a 10-year-old Boxer mix who would love to be your go-to girl. She loves a good adventure, and will happily lead you anywhere you want to go, wiggling her tail all the way. She also loves a good tummy rub or ear scratch and will happily trade plenty of sweet kisses for one. She’s sure to be a sweet and loyal member of your family. If you have room in your heart and home for this happy girl, come meet her today at the Seattle Humane – you’ll be glad you did! As with all of our dogs, Theresa has been spayed, microchipped, vaccinated and behavior-tested. She will go home with a certificate for an examination by a King County veterinarian and an identification tag. PLUS, most dog adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion and a training rebate when you complete a dog behavior course - a great way to start off on the right paw! Introduce to children 14 years and older. Resident dogs are recommended to visit Theresa prior to adoption.
Take Your Dog to Work Day | June 23 Dust off your paws – here comes a work day to bark about! Friday, June 23 is “Take Your Dog to Work” Day. Research suggests that productivity increases when pets are welcome in the work place. Share this with your boss then welcome a dog into your life for 50 percent off the adoption fee for any dog 1 year and up at Seattle Humane in Bellevue. Friday, June 23rd only! If you are taking your dog to work for this special occasion, please share their photo with us on social media!
Dress your dog in drag to support people living with HIV/AIDS! June 24 | 1-3 p.m. | PrideFest at Cal-Anderson Park $10 entry fee/dog and benefits the Pet Project The Pet Project program provides basic veterinary care, food, and supplies to pets of low-income people living with HIV/AIDS or cancer so they can keep their pets when they’re needed the most.
The Kittens are Here! | June 24-25 Cute cat alert – it’s kitten season! Adoption fees for kittens are $50 this Saturday and Sunday at Seattle Humane. These little ones have already been neutered or spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, so they’re all ready to go home with you and become part of your family! It will be a pleasure to watch them grow up.
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Visit seattlehumane.org for more details June 23, 2017
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