Issue 25 Volume 39
Celebrating 38 Years!
Seattle Gay News
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SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Our flag, part III
Legendary activist Cleve Jones visits Healeo threatened over Pride flag giveaway Seattle June 28th
Cleve Jones
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Cleve Jones – creator of the NAMES Project AIDS Quilt and co-chair of the October 2009 National Equality March on Washington, D.C. – will be in Seattle for a community forum on Tuesday, June 28.
see jones page 27
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
courtesy healeo
Gil Goldstein
“Seattle is one of my favorite cities,” he told SGN. “Seattle was extremely supportive of the quilt. That means a lot to me.” Jones is now an organizer with UNITE HERE, the hotel and restaurant workers union, and will be the featured speaker at a community forum organized by UNITE HERE Local 8, Pride At Work, Allyship, Ingersoll Center, and Seattle Gay News. The event will be at Kaladi Brothers Café, 511 E. Pike St., at 4:30 p.m. UNITE HERE Local 8 represents 4,000 workers in Western Washington, and they are now negotiating new contracts at all their locations. Jones spoke with SGN by phone on June 22, between speaking en-
The owner of a mod retail space on Capitol Hill received threats last week because of his support for the LGBT community through an ongoing Pride flag giveaway at his store. Justin Brotman, founder and proprietor of the swanky vitamin and juice bar Healeo (1520 15th Ave.), received a hateful email on June 16 that shocked the businessman, a straight ally of the LGBT community. “I received the email last Thursday afternoon immediately after associating myself with a Seattle Out & Proud executive, Jarod Owen,” Brotman told Seattle Gay News. “I don’t feel the timing was coincidental as Jarod is a visible member of the LGBT community and works with an organization that is openly hated by anti-Gay Healeo on Capitol Hill
see threat page 26
New Approach Washington Gay activists’ files to legalize cannabis “glittering” tactic Powerful coalition supports decriminalization, launches initiative to the legislature
On June 22, a panel of diverse state leaders hosted a press conference at the Central Seattle Public Library to sponsor the legalization, taxation, and regulation of cannabis in the state of Washington. New Approach Washington, a newly formed political action committee, filed an initiative on Wednesday to authorize the Washington State
Liquor Control Board to produce and distribute marijuana to state residents 21 and over as it already does with hard liquor. The revenue generated would go into the state’s general fund, as well as local budgets. Among the proposal’s sponsors are Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, State Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson (D-36th District), Robert Wood, M.D., former director of the HIV/ AIDS Program of Public
associated press
file photo
by Rahul K. Gairola SGN Contributing Writer
Health of Seattle and King County, and Alison Holcomb, J.D., campaign director for the committee and drug policy director for the ACLU of Washington. Though recent headlines emphasized former U.S. Attorney John McKay’s support of the initiative, he was not present on the panel. Holmes inaugurated the public forum by asserting that although alcohol is legal and regulated by the state, its adverse effects on consumers are far worse than those of cannabis. Mark Johnson, 2008-9 Washington State Bar Association president, followed. “The process of drug mitigation has been an unprecedented disaster,” he said. Johnson noted that the estimated agricultural revenue of marijuana would potentially make it the second most profitable cash crop in the state after apples, generating one billion dollars a year for the state, and $35 billion for the nation. Wood contributed a medical evaluation, stating, “The Institute of Medicine … determined that, frankly, not much evidence
comes under fire
Newt Gingrich “glittered” at a Minneapolis book signing on May 17
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
“Glittering,” the act of dousing an anti-Gay GOP candidate in glitter, has come under fire as Gay activists debate whether or not the tactic should be called off. The glitterati have struck three different times. The first incident occurred on May 17, as Republisee cannAbis page 27 can presidential candidate Newt
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We are conveniently located on-site at Lifelong AIDS Alliance below the Thrift Store.
Gingrich and his wife, Callista, were covered with glitter at a book signing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nick Espinosa, the activist behind the glitter stunt, yelled at the former House speaker, “Stop the hate. Stop the anti-Gay politics.” Espinosa was quickly whisked away by security. On June 16, the glitter brigade see glittering page 24
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Celebrating 38 Years!
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What it means to live proud file photo
Even as we face an unprecedented budget crisis, the legislature, for the sixth consecutive session, passed landmark LGBTQ civil rights legislation. The legislature rolled back the state’s odious “DOMA” by passing the out-ofstate marriage recognition bill, which provides the rights and benefits of domestic partnership to same-sex couples with valid legal marriages performed in other jurisdictions. The legislature also passed a first-in-the-nation genderneutral Uniform Parentage Act. By doing this, the legislature recognized that many children have same-sex parents, and made it easier for Gay and Lesbian parents to establish their legal relationship to their children. And finally, the legislature passed an update to our antibullying law. This update, among other things, requires that suicide prevention be taught in health classes. Washington is lucky to have so many openly LGBT legislators who are leading with integrity. Our legislative success is due in large part to the work being done by our openly Gay legislators. Senator Ed Murray and Representatives Jim Moeller, Jamie Pedersen, Marko Liias, Laurie Jinkins, and Dave Upthegrove each deserve our thanks and support. Our openly LGBT elected leaders in other offices make an enormous difference. And while there are many, we take a moment to thank former State Senator Joe McDermott who now serves as the first openly Gay member of the King County Council. His introduction of a Pride dec-
Joshua Friedes
by Joshua Friedes, executive director of Equal Rights Washington Courtesy of Equal Rights Washington Live Proud is the theme of this year’s pride festival. At ERW, we believe that sharing our stories and being active in the struggle for LGBTQ equality is an essential element of living proudly. This is true whether you are a member of the LGBTQ community or a straight ally. We have much to celebrate this year. The legislature concluded their session in May.
laration this year reminds us of the importance of having openly Gay people serving in elected office. So, consider running for political office or getting involved with the political party of your choice. We should note that four Republican senators voted for each of the three Gay rights bills discussed above. Steve Litzow, Andy Hill, and Joe Fain deserve our thanks for voting for legislation that protects LGBT individuals and families during their freshman year in office. Cheryl Pflug continued her record of supporting equality for LGBT Washingtonians. In the struggle for marriage equality, 2011 marks a tipping point. In Washington, this was the year where polls for the first time showed that more Washington voters supported marriage equality than opposed it. But polls don’t vote, people do. We – Gay and straight – must continue to talk in personal terms to our friends, family, co-workers, congregants, and neighbors about why marriage matters. We must do this every day and find creative ways of doing this, from expressing this as our birthday wish, to posting on our Facebook pages, and organizing educational programs at our houses of worship. And we must ask everyone we know to join us in advocating for marriage equality. With hard work, we have made Washington one of the best states in America for Transgender people to live. We have Transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination, antibullying, and hate crimes laws. But access to healthcare and its affordability remain giant issues. Transgender Washingtonians face absolutely unacceptable discrimination in civic life. A variety of issues facing many Transgender people, from aging to home-
lessness to treatment in the criminal justice system, remain largely invisible even in our community. While we are starting to talk more and more in our community about issues like aging and the problems facing undocumented LGBT immigrants, many segments of our diverse community remain vulnerable and underserved. We can and must do better. Our mantra must be that no part of the community can be left behind. Washington is a leader in the struggle for LGBTQ civil rights. We must demonstrate that it is possible to move forward together, even as, from moment to moment, different issues will be the focus of our work, particularly in the legislature or on the ballot. I am frequently asked when I believe we will achieve marriage equality. While nobody can make promises, I believe that marriage equality could come as soon as 2012, but only if we work together as a unified movement. We will need to dig deep to raise the money needed to mount an unprecedented public education and lobbying campaign. We will need to engage our allies in labor and business and in faith communities. We will need to work together while understanding that within our communities, we value different strategies and tactics. And we must remember that marriage equality is an important milestone in our quest for full legal and social equality, but it is not itself the final goal of our civil rights struggle. Happy Pride, and let us work together so that a child born today will never know the sting of discrimination that we have known. And may that sting of discrimination give us the passion to ensure that each of us works for the dignity and equality of all humankind.
Printing company refuses Gay bar flyer by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
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Seattle Gay News
June 24, 2011
courtesy diesel
When Mike Reis and his partner, Mark Hurst, needed flyers printed to announce the grand opening of Diesel, a new bear bar on Capitol Hill’s 14th Avenue, the last thing they thought they would encounter was discrimination. The idea was to get the posters up – 2,500 in total – during Pride weekend so the thousands of tourists and locals who attend the various Pride events would see them. Instead, Reis said, Access Printed Media refused Diesel service because of their homosexual lifestyle. Whenever you hear about something like this in 2011, you tend to scratch your head and say, “Really?” Unfortunately, in the case of Diesel and Access Printed Media … yes, really. Reis and Hurst received an email from one of the printer’s employees saying that, while the business was not “against homosexuals … advertising and promoting the kind of lifestyle that goes against our morals is something that [the owner] can’t bring himself to do.” “We were furious, it was very shocking,” Reis told SGN. “It was obvious that they do have an issue with homosexuals.” Reis says he read the email three times before he could “believe what I was reading. What lifestyle were they regarding?” he told SGN. “This wasn’t very bright the way it was written … ‘not that we have anything against Gay people but … we don’t support your lifestyle’ is what it said.” Reis says they felt outraged and derailed. “We didn’t expect this from someone in Seattle,” he said, “This was outrageous.” Reis declined to respond to the email. The flyer is simple enough. The words “Get pumped!” could be considered suggestive, but let’s face it – it is a flyer for a Gay
bar, after all. The only profanity is “Bad Ass Bartenders” and “No Bullshit Drinks” – again, quite tame by today’s standards. The graphic, a cartoon gas station attendant leaning against a gas pump, is the least suggestive part of the flyer. “The flyer is really non-offensive,” Reis said. “There is absolutely nothing sexually suggestive. We put a lot of thought into this. Part of our planning is that we wanted to choose something that would be recognizable and have some class. The Diesel diamond shape and gas pump being looked at as sexually suggestive is preposterous.” In a KING 5 interview, Delaney (he refuses to give his last name for fear of public backlash), the owner of the printing company located in Kent, said, “I personally feel a personal conviction to not violate the personal moral code I have. It’s got profanity on it. My kids come to work, they see stuff that daddy’s printing.” Delaney said that Sarah Wheeler, the parttime employee who sent the email to Reis, was not authorized to do so. “I feel like my name and my business name is getting dragged through the mud.” “I would like to apologize to the owners of the establishment, I meant you no harm, those are not my views,” said Delaney. Reis is not buying it. “I would be willing to wager that if you did some digging, you could find images far worse than what we’ve asked him to print,” said Reis. “None of his apologies are genuine. His reaction and [lack of] candor in the media has made us more upset.” Interestingly, the print company’s website was removed after the incident. The issue has caught the attention of the ACLU of Washington. “The community response has been tremendous,” Reis told SGN. “Dan Lane from tabstogo.com says he will print 1,000 flyers for free.”
The Diesel flyer that Access Printed Media refused to print
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Bevan Dufty, Gay candidate for mayor of San Francisco
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van Dufty, and I’m running for mayor of San Francisco.’ And they say ‘Who? From where?’ “I’m afraid when I get off the plane there’ll be a restraining order,” he laughed. Dufty declared his candidacy in September 2009. Under California term-limit laws, he could not run for a third term as a supervisor. While he met with initial enthusiasm, his campaign fundraising appeared to falter in 2010, and many observers wrote him off. Nevertheless, Dufty has turned his campaign around, secured the endorsement of the Victory Fund, and is now thought to be a serious contender. “From my perspective,” he said, “this race was always going to be a marathon.” Dufty says he went into the race determined not to be tied to wealthy donors, so he limited the size of the contributions he would accept. “I ran for supervisor twice, and I limited contributions to $100 per person. So when I decided to run for mayor – the same thing – I wanted to limit contributions to $200. “I also wanted to qualify for public financing, so in May 2010 I made the decision – it was kind of unwise – to stop raising money. “In my June 30 [2010] report I showed only $300 cash on hand, and people said ‘Hey, this guy can’t be successful.’” The Victory Fund wanted to endorse him, Dufty said, “but even they questioned my viability in this race.” Eventually they persuaded him to adopt a more successful strategy. “The Victory Fund looked at me and they said, ‘We appreciate the fact you’re expressing progressive values, but you can do that much better as mayor of San Francisco than as a losing candidate.’” Dufty then reorganized his campaign and began to raise money at an accelerated
Bevan Dufty
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Bevan Dufty, former San Francisco supervisor and candidate for mayor of San Francisco, will be in Seattle for a Victory Fund fundraiser on Wednesday, June 29. The event will be at the home of Kevin Thompson and Greg Ratliff, 9282 44th Ave. S.W., in West Seattle. If elected, Dufty would be the first openly Gay mayor of San Francisco. “This is the fifth city I’ll be visiting on my fundraising tour with the Victory Fund,” he told SGN. “It’s been a great boost to my campaign.” Dufty, a veteran of former Mayor Willie Brown’s administration and two terms on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors, says he has adjusted quite well to the demands of campaign fundraising. “I’ve actually gotten into it. I’ve even started calling people in Seattle. I mean, it must be strange for them – ‘Hi, this is Be-
June 24, 2011
pace. “In my last 2010 report, I posted $80,000,” he said. “The Victory Fund endorsed me in March [2011], and with their help I raised $35,000 in one night. I’ll be in Seattle the night before my next report is due, and I hope that will get me to my goal of $1 million in fundraising.” San Francisco uses a ranked-choice voting system that requires voters to rank the candidates in order of preference, rather than selecting just one. As candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated, their votes are then redistributed to second-choice candidates, then to third-choice, and so on. The system favors a candidate like Dufty, who has a political base large enough to get him through the first few rounds of counting, and enough potential second- or thirdchoice votes to win. “Ranked choice voting will be my political salvation,” Dufty says. “I’m the only one of nine contenders who’s LGBT, and that’s my competitive advantage. I have a base and I have breadth.” As a supervisor, Dufty represented the Castro district, the same area represented by Harvey Milk. If successful, he will be San Francisco’s first openly Gay mayor. “Harvey should have been the first,” he said. “I’m an aspirational candidate. I want to live and embrace Harvey’s legacy. I’m not Harvey, but I am a Gay man who is a coalition builder and a collaborator like he was. You know, he was so comfortable in communities of color.” “The mayor is the policy leader,” Dufty continues. “I was director of neighborhood services for Willie Brown. I dealt with issues that had a direct impact on people’s lives – childcare, Muni [public transit], homeless services, public education – I have a child entering kindergarten.” The office of mayor turned out to be the springboard for California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom to launch his statewide political career. Dufty says he has no larger political aspirations, however. “No, no, no,” he said when asked. “I want to be – I’m co-parenting a child with a Lesbian friend. I waited all my life to have this child. I want to live in San Francisco. “Besides, there’s, like, three Tea Partiers here. The thought of being anyplace with Michele Bachmann – just not appealing.” “Look, I’m a 56-year old Gay man,” Dufty concluded. “I’m lucky to be alive. Our [San Francisco] community lost 20,000 people to AIDS. I’m here. I’m happy. I want to stand up to the bullies, whether they’re in the halls of Congress or the halls of our schools. I invite the members of the Seattle community to help me.”
Celebrating 38 Years!
courtesy ERW
Hiromi: The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson and Steve Smith June 23-26
Virtuosic and Feisty Jazz Pianist Touring in Support of The Voice
Milton Nascimento June 28-29
On June 21, The American Constitution Society, American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, Lambda Legal, Legal Voice, Pride Foundation, Equal Rights Washington, and Q Law presented “LGBT Equality at a Crossroads” at Town Hall in Seattle. Speakers at the event included panelists Sarah Dunne, legal director of American Civil Liberties Union of Washington; The Honorable Jamie Pedersen, state representative of the 43rd Legislative District, Washington House of Representatives; Jennifer C. Pizer, legal director and the Arnold D. Kassoy Senior Scholar of Law, The Williams Institute. The panel was moderated by The Honorable Mary I. Yu, King County Superior Court judge, distinguished jurist in residence of the Seattle University School of Law, and an introduction was given by LaShawn Warren, director of programs of the American Constitution Society. All speakers are pictured above. The program was upbeat as all speakers expressed great pleasure with the rate of change in Washington state. However, concern was expressed that Transgender issues were not progressing at the same rate, and this merited increased attention.
Marine Corps top brass tells troops opposing DADT to “Get over it!”
USMC
members leave because they don’t want to serve with Gays? What if, what if, what if? The answer to that hypothetical question was there all the time. It’s called command structure. Leadership. Military policy. I’ll say it again: When a commanding officer tells you to do something, you do it. Such was the case this week when Sgt. Maj. Micheal Barrett, the top non-commissioned officer of the U.S. Marine Corps, told fellow marines they had to “get over it” in regards to DADT and do their job. And they will, too. Barrett, who was recently chosen to be the senior enlisted adviser to Marine Corps ComSergeant Major of the Marine Corps Micheal P. Barrett mandant Gen. James Amos (who, for a time, was against DADT repeal) by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor When a commanding officer, regardless of service branch, commands you to do something, you do it. The concept is not new, and in fact, the military simply could not be as effective as it is without such structure. Questioning an order is unwelcome, against regulation, and not tolerated. This policy can be sometimes difficult for civilians to understand. Veterans and active duty service members, however, not only understand it, we live by it. During the national debate over whether or not the U.S. armed forces could successfully repeal DADT and implement a policy that did not have a negative impact on unit readiness, civilian journalists, bloggers, etc., tirelessly wrote the “what if” story. What if this doesn’t work? What if service
visited a base in South Korea last week, where he delivered his opinions on DADT and the plans to repeal the ban. It is reported that Barrett brought out a small copy of the Constitution and referenced Article 1, Section 8. “It says, ‘Raise an army.’ It says absolutely nothing about race, color, creed, or sexual orientation.” He then asked if everyone in the group joined the Marines to protect their nation. He then said, “How dare we, then, exclude a group of people who want to do the same thing you do right now, something that is honorable and noble?” Sgt. Maj. Barrett concluded by saying “Get over it. ... Let’s just move on, treat everybody with fairness, dignity, compassion, and respect. Let’s be Marines.” Now that is how you lead! His direct boss, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos, said Barrett is “the best of the best.” Get over it, indeed. DADT is history. Serve or get out of the way.
Brazil’s Most Celebrated Living Musician Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist Jazz Alley Debut!
Diane Schuur June 30 July 3
Swinging Jazz Vocalist Touring in Support of her New Release The Gathering.
Curtis Salgado July 5-6
2010 Blues Music Award Winner for Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year
Mose Allison July 7-10
One-of-a-kind Mississippi Blues Pianist, Singer and Songwriter
An Evening with Charlie Hunter July 12-13 Rocking, Jazzy, Funk Guitarist
Brian Culbertson July 14-17 OUR FLAG AND THE SPACE NEEDLE’S SITUATION Seattle’s traditions of patronage to the arts and community are long established. Bagley and Virginia Wright’s renowned contributions are historic, representing Seattle’s best in community and love of place. Seattle is also home to many communitybased festivals and celebrations. All of this proves that the people of Seattle do care and support many charities and causes, both with and without corporate help. The situation with the Seattle’s Space
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Needle corporation is a PR mess. In June, Seattleites were glowing in the light of the successful defeat Referendum 71. I was in Kerry Park overlooking the Seattle Center Campus, next to the Space Needle, when they raised the rainbow flag above our iconic trademark high above the city. You could hear the cameras clicking; a look around you saw many embraces and tears. That is what we need to remember.
R&B Instrumentalist Writer, Arranger and Producer
Dorian Graham Muncey
June 24, 2011
Seattle Gay News
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courtesy ERW
On June 19, hundreds of LGBT counter-protesters and allies showed up at Volunteer Park on the corner of 15th and E. Galer to meet the Westboro Baptist Church in a face-off of love vs. hate. The upbeat crowd came bearing signs (every bit as ridiculous as the WBC’s, but much funnier), rainbow flags, and a whole lot of positive energy. The protesters chanted and waited for the WBC contingent to show. They did not. A WBC no-show is an absolute victory as they were not able to spread their hate at the annual Seattle Out & Proud Pride Picnic. The triumphant crowd disbanded and went to enjoy the picnic, participate in the WBC counter-protest at the Seattle Slut Walk, or to enjoy the rest of their Sunday. WBC got the message loud and clear: You are not welcome in Seattle.
GSBA’s Women at the Top Combining business development and social justice by Joshua Michael Rumley Special to the SGN It’s no longer a “man’s world,” to reference the title of a famous James Brown song. Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and allied women are advancing quickly in the business world by obtaining influential and important positions. The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) has answered the call for a local women’s business networking event with Women at the Top. “Women at the Top was launched in 2010 to ensure its women members were engaged and to increase involvement of women business owners,” said Louise Chernin, president and chief executive officer of the GSBA. “Business organizations traditionally under-serve women-owned businesses.” The GSBA is the nation’s largest LGBT
business chamber, with around 1,000 members. The GSBA has a variety of cocktail hours to meet the specific networking needs of their members; including business luncheons, Prime Time cocktail hours, Young Professionals with Pride (for the 21-39 year old demographic), and Women at the Top. Why exactly does there need to be a female-oriented business and entrepreneur networking event? “Often women feel overwhelmed if they are at a mixer where they are in the minority,” said April Thanos, GSBA program manager. “WATT [Women at the Top] provides a place for women to be the main focus and it gives women a chance to really appreciate themselves and see what they have accomplished.” It wasn’t that long ago that it was unheardof for a woman to be in a position of power
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in a major corporation. The feminist movement of the 1960s ushered in a time when women were finally being elected to positions and major roles such as board executives and company CEOs. Though there has been progress, female workers are still paid substantially less then men in similar positions. “Many people feel that the feminist movement has taken care of the gap between men and women in business,” said Jessica Swetin, GSBA membership services coordinator, “but what we know from real-world experience is that while women have made an enormous amount of progress over the years toward equality, the reality is that women are still a marginalized population in this country.” Through networking events such as Women at the Top, the GSBA has maintained their dedication to its membership to expand economic opportunities for their LGBT and allied female members. “GSBA has a commitment to both engage and provide support to our women-owned businesses,” said Chernin. “Our women members enjoy the company of other women CEOs, business owners, and elected officials in a relaxed environment.”
The name “Women at the Top” is symbolic not only for the progress made by LGBT and allied females but also for the event’s location. The networking event is always held at a GSBA member venue on a top floor, giving attendees a dramatic view of Seattle. Most recently the event was held at the Sheraton Seattle in their sky-high Cirrus Room. The Women at the Top event is designed to bring together women from diverse industries, backgrounds, and life experiences to give them an inclusive environment to meet and connect. While business development is the primary objective, social justice is an important component that is woven into everything that the GSBA does. “Since our women members like to connect business to issues, we invite one nonprofit that serves LGBT and allied women to share a bit about their organization,” said Chernin. The GSBA was pleased to welcome Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, at the April event. Kendell spoke to a crowd of over 100 individuals about the importance of community engagement in the continued fight for LGBT equality. When asked what she would like to see as an outcome of the Women at the Top event, Thanos said, “I would love to see women getting to know women they might not otherwise come into contact with in their normal lives. I would also like to see these women donating to or volunteering with some of the non-profits we feature.” The next Women at the Top event will be held on July 28 at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront. There is a registration fee for the event: $10 for GSBA members and $15 for guests. To register, visit www.thegsba.org or call the GSBA office at 206-363-9188.
Celebrating 38 Years!
NORTHWEST
NEWS
compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
SEE THE PRIDE EVENTS CALENDAR IN THIS WEEK’S SGN FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF UPCOMING PRIDE-RELATED EVENTS
MASSAGE THERAPISTS NEEDED FOR BABES NETWORK RETREAT BABES Network-YWCA is seeking volunteer licensed massage therapists for their summer retreat Friday to Sunday, July 8-10, on Vashon Island. A 3-day commitment is preferred from noon on Friday through 3 p.m. on Sunday, but a 2-day commitment from Saturday to Sunday would also be accepted. Volunteer massage therapists would provide three to six 45-minute massages each day to women attending the retreat. Volunteers would provide their own massage table or chair. Evenings can be spent off-site or with the group. Volunteers would need to provide a copy of their massage therapy certification and liability insurance, complete a short application, and get clearance on a criminal background check. Volunteers must be willing to learn about HIV/ AIDS issues for women. Volunteers would receive free meals, lodging and ferry tickets, and would need to provide their own vehicle transportation. For more information and to volunteer, contact YWCA Volunteer Services, 206-490-4376 or email volunteer@ywcaworks.org. For more information about BABES Network, visit www.babesnetwork. org.
SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – ANDRE GIDE’S THE COUNTERFEITERS The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Dunshee House (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). All GLBTQ folks in the community are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. The book for June is Andre Gide’s The Counterfeiters, one of the all-time masterpieces by a Gay author. The novel won Gide the Nobel Prize in 1924 and mixes Gay and straight characters in the same way as Iris Murdoch’s A Fairly Honourable Defeat and Alan Hollinghurst’s The Line of Beauty. The Counterfeiters has nothing to do with fake money. It’s about people who are fake and deceive, and it’s an unforgettable reading experience. There are a zillion things to discuss and it’s so rich we may well continue with our discussions into July. For more information, email nickdimartin@earthlink.net or contact Dunshee House at 206-322-2437. OLYMPIC MUSIC FESTIVAL – “CONCERTS IN THE BARN” QUILCENE, WA JUNE 25-SEPT. 4 www.olympicmusicfestival.org
PUBLIC MEETING FOR WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION DEMIAN’S VIDEO – On Wednesday, June 30, from 6:30-8:30 FREMONT SOLSTICE PARADE’S p.m., at the Washington Park Arboretum, NAKED BICYCLE RIDERS Graham Visitor Center (2300 Arboretum 2011 – “Being Shy” – http://vimeo. Dr. E.), Seattle Parks and Recreation, the com/25390586 University of Washington Botanic Garden, 2010 – “Body Pain(t)”– http://vimeo. and the Arboretum Foundation are hosting a com/25327597 public meeting to educate the community on the continuing implementation of the master SEATTLE ARCHITECTURE plan for the Arboretum. The community is FOUNDATION MODEL EXHIBIT – encouraged to attend. “TRANSITIONS” JUNE 21-JULY 24 REEL QUEER YOUTH Seattle Architecture Foundation presents FILMMAKING WORKSHOP their annual model exhibit featuring more FOR LGBTQ & ALLIED YOUTH than 100 physical architectural models, renFilm is a powerful way to tell stories. derings and digital images, at Pacific Place Reel Queer Youth, now in its third year, is (600 Pine St.), on the first floor in the former a filmmaking workshop for Lesbian, Gay, Restoration Hardware retail space. Open Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Tuesday-Thursday, 1:30-6:30 p.m.; Friday- youth and their allies, allowing their unique Sunday, noon-6:30 p.m.; closed Mondays. perspectives to be shown. Three Dollar Free admission, small donation suggested. Bill Cinema, producers of the Seattle Leswww.seattlearchitecture.org. bian and Gay Film Festival and Reel Queer Youth, is currently accepting applications THE ELITE HOSTS for this year’s program. The week-long FREE ASL LESSONS workshop will be held July 18-22, from 10 FOR BEGINNERS a.m.-4 p.m., in Seattle’s Central District. Have you ever wanted to learn basic Participants will use professional camera American Sign Language? If so, you can and editing equipment to create a short film get some beginning ASL instruction at the along with a team of professional filmmakElite (1520 E. Olive Way). The FREE les- ers and mentors in a safe, open, and fun ensons will be held every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in vironment. A “Friends and Family” screenthe loft. ing of the completed works will be held on the afternoon of July 23. Applications are “LGBT POWER + available at www.threedollarbillcinema.org/ UNION POWER = programs/RQY. The application deadline EQUALITY!” – is June 30. AN LGBT COMMUNITY FORUM FEATURING CLEVE JONES GENDER ODYSSEY SHOW On Tuesday, June 28, at 4:30 p.m., at KaSEEKS ART SUBMISSIONS ladi Brothers Cafe (511 E. Pine St.), legendAs part of Gender Odyssey’s 10th anniary LGBT activist Cleve Jones, founder of versary conference, the We Made This Road the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt by Walking art show is an opportunity for and co-chair of the 2009 Equality March in reflection and celebration. We Made This Washington, DC, will join with local Unite- Road by Walking references creating a path Here! hotel workers union organizers to for oneself when the road to a desired desdiscuss how you can support LGBT hotel tination doesn’t already exist. Our theme is workers. not limited to Transgender topics, but contextualizes our individual and collective experiences in terms of the actions we have
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taken to move our lives and our community forward. The submission deadline is June 30, 2011. Exhibition dates are August 4-7. Entry of artwork to this show is open to members of our collective transgender communities. Original 2- and 3-dimensional works and original multimedia works – subject to technical requirements – will be accepted. Display space may be limited so please get your submissions in early. Gender Odyssey 2011 does not guarantee space for all art submissions. Please visit http://www.genderodyssey. org/submit-art/ for further details, as well as an entry form.
visiting LGBT and allied musicians in town for the conference joining Rainbow City Band for this exciting concert. http://rainbowcityband.com.
June 24, 2011
Seattle Gay News 11
CAPITOL HILL INDEPENDENCE DAY COMMUNITY PICNIC On Saturday, July 2, from noon-5 p.m., at Cal Anderson Park (11th Ave. and E. Olive St., just north of E. Pine St.), the Cal Anderson Park Alliance hosts the 9th annual Capitol Hill Independence Day Community Picnic with live bands including the Not-Its and Land of Pines, plus feel-good, all-ages interactive fun, including the amazing Carbon Neutral Spin Art Bike, full-of-surprises Pet/ Human Look Alike Contest, the fabled Root BOUNCE: Beer Float Tasting Garden, Urban Family THE SPORT OF STORYTELLING A new spoken word competition rooted Photo Portraits and the unbelieveably funny in the literary, jazz, and basketball legacies Pie Eating Contest. Info: www.calandersonof the Harlem Renaissance joins Columbia park.org. City’s Beatwalk on Friday, July 1. BoUnce SEATTLE TENNIS ALLIANCE – combines African storytelling traditions, SEATTLE CLASSIC 2011 poetry, hip hop and the improvisational JULY 2-4 skills of basketball for a cash prize. BoUnce www.seattletennisalliance.org is an all-ages, all genres open mic held at Cultural Corner, 3651 S. Edmunds St. SignMOUNTAINS TO SOUND up at 7:30 p.m. Competition from 8-10 p.m. GREENWAY Seattle’s 2007 Poet Populist, Jourdan Keith, 20TH ANNIVERSARY TREK invites others to accept the challenge to perJULY 2-10 form at the BoUnce kick-off, a spoken word www.mtsgreenway.org and basketball game between storytelling sports teams. SEATTLE UNITED “You can Slam, but can you BOUNCE?” SOCCER LEAGUE is a challenge to all spoken word artists from SUMMER SEASON storytellers, to poets and hip hop artists,” The Seattle United Soccer League’s sumsays Jourdan Keith, founder and director of Urban Wilderness Project, who designed mer season begins on Saturday, July 9, at the program. The challenge, which she calls Miller Soccer Complex (19th Ave. E. & E. “The Sport of Storytelling” is that you must Thomas St.). All skills levels welcome. Onplay and win as a team. The performance is line registration deadline is June 30 at a cooperative competition between two all- 11:30 p.m. http://seattleunitedsl.com. ages storytelling sports teams. Individuals BINET SEATTLE sign up in advance to perform and are then ANNUAL PICNIC randomly placed with 2-4 other individuals AT RAVENNA PARK to form 3 on 3 or 5 on 5 teams. The competiOn Saturday, July 9, from 3-7 p.m, at tion alternates between basketball and storytelling skills. The winning team receives Ravenna Park (entrance on 20th Ave. NE a cash prize. 206-464-8364; www.urbanwil- and NE 58th St., about a block north of Ravenna Blvd. NE), at the picnic shelter, dernessproject.org. join Bi-Net Seattle for this family-friendly event. Bring your kids and your partners and EMERALD CITY CLASSIC enjoy the sun and the shade. They will proSOFTBALL TOURNAMENT vide burgers, sausages, vegetarian burgers, JULY 1-3 and plates. You bring a non-alcoholic beverwww.seattlegaysoftball.com age and something to share, such as a salad or dessert. Please RSVP to http://www.soSEATTLE INTERNATIONAL cializr.com/event/binetseattle/picnic2011. BEERFEST 2011 JULY 1-3 THIRD ANNUAL Seattle Center hosts Seattle International QUEER TV SHOW BeerFest 2011 featuring 160 beers from 15 TO BENEFIT ALLYSHIP countries with live entertainment. Hours: On Saturday, July 9, door at 7:30 p.m., Friday/Saturday, noon-10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-9 p.m. Cost: $20-advance; $25-gate; show at 8 p.m., at Re-bar (1114 Howell St.), VIP express pass $35 advance. www.seat- Ladyking Productions presents the Third Annual Queer TV Show, a benefit show for tlebeerfest.com. Allyship, starring Sylvia O’Stayformore, Aleksa Manila, Gams Galore, Renten, Anita TRIANGLE RECREATION CAMP Goodman, Pidgeon von Tramp, Dahlia Ste. “BLACK FOREST PARTY” Cyr, Glitter Tribe, Luscious Ladypop, and JULY 1-4 much more, with MC Kosha. Sliding scale www.camptrc.org. $10-$20 at the door. For more information, visit www.LGBTQAllyship.org. RAINBOW CITY BAND – “LIGHTS ... CAMERA ... SEATTLE RAINBOW ACTION! MUSIC-A-THON” CONTRA DANCE On Saturday, July 2, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., On Saturdays, no dance 7/2 or 7/9, reat the KOMO/Fisher Plaza (4th Ave. and Denny Way) Rainbow City Band will pres- sumes 7/16, at Ballard Odd Fellows Hall ent a 10 hour music-a-thon outdoor concert (1706 NW Market St.), join LGBTQ folks to raise funds in support of the 2011 Lesbian and friends (and all who want to dance) for and Gay Band Association (LGBA) con- this fun, easy-to-learn, easy-to-dance, genference and concert to be held in Seattle, der-neutral contra dance, with live calling October 14-16. The day will be filled with and live bluegrass music. No experience or music ranging from classical to pop tunes, partner necessary. All dances taught. Free by ensembles ranging from marching bands lesson at 7 p.m. Dance from 7:30-10 p.m. to jazz bands to small chamber ensembles. Cost is $8. Organizers suggest bringing water to Stop by to enjoy the music and/or go online to http://rainbowcityband.com/lgba2011/ drink. Please come fragrance free in considmusicathon.php and make a financial con- eration of those with allergies. Bring a dry shirt to change into if you sweat a lot. No tribution. The 2011 LGBA Conference Mass Band drunkenness, rude or abusive behavior will Concert “Lights ... Camera ... Action!” will be tolerated. http://seattledance.org/contra/ be held on Sunday, October 16, at 3 p.m., rainbow; YouTube: Seattle Rainbow Contra at McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St.), with 200+ Dance.
12 Seattle Gay News
June 24, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
Broadway
Farmers Market Visit us online www.sgn.org
NEW LOCATION! B'way & E. Pine, at Seattle Central Community College Sundays, 11am - 3pm, May 8 - Dec 18. June 24, 2011
Seattle Gay News 13
14 Seattle Gay News
June 24, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
PRIDE EVENTS
CALENDAR
mission. Because members of Seattle Quake Rugby will be wearing dresses, due to those limitations and the overall fun nature of this exhibition match, they will not be playing Friday, June 24 full tackle rugby. The opponents this year will be the Seattle RFC women’s team, The NAMES PROJECT Breakers. Local celebrity announcer/refAIDS MEMORIAL QUILT PANELS eree will be the ever-fabulous Gaysha Starr. AT SEATTLE CENTER From June 24 through June 26, 10 panels www.quakerugby.org from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial “PRIDE NIGHT” Quilt will be on display at the Fisher PavilPLAY GIRL MALE REVUE ion at Seattle Center (south of the InternaAT MUCKLESHOOT CASINO tional Fountain). The display is sponsored On Friday, June 24, show from 6:30-8 by PrideFest. p.m., dance from 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Muckleshoot Casino’s Club Galaxy (2402 Auburn SHIFT NETWORK PRESENTS Way S., Auburn) will host the men of Play PRIDE SURVIVAL WORKSHOP On Friday, June 24, from 2-4 p.m., at Girl and renowned DJ phenomenon KimSeattle Counseling Service (1216 Pine St. berly S, an internationally known favorite at Melrose Ave.), SHIFT will be hosting a among the Gay community. The event is Pride Survival Workshop for people who are open to the public for guests 21 and over in recovery from addiction. They will cover and FREE for those with a Preferred Playtopics such as dealing with triggers, places ers Club Card, which can be obtained for no to avoid, sexual orientation and substance charge on-site. Tickets are not required and abuse. Additionally, they will advertise sober events that will be going on during Pride weekend. The main objective of the workshop is to help participants plan a sober and fun Pride weekend and to learn more about what Pride can mean for LGBTQ people in recovery. Call Matt Bridge at 206-323-1768 ext 209 for more information. Sponsored by Gay City Health Project, Rosehedge/Multifaith Works, Dunshee House, and Seattle Counseling Service, through the SHIFT Network. compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN staff writer
PRIDE SHABBAT 2011 On Friday, June 24, from 6-8 p.m., at Temple De Hirsch Sinai (1511 E. Pike St. – enter on 16th Ave. between E. Pike St. and E. Union St.) celebrate Pride Shabbat 2011 with service and celebration, light snacks and desserts. Pride Shabbat is a communitywide event brought to you by Bashert: The Jewish Federation of Seattle’s LGBTQ Initiative, Congregation Tikvah Chadashah, Kolenu, Jewish Family Service, Seattle Gay News, Temple Beth Am, and Temple De Hirsch Sinai. BENT WRITING INSTITUTE – “OUTWRITE: A PRIDE WORKSHOP” On Friday, June 24, from 6-8 p.m., Bent Writing Institute presents “OUTWRITE: A Pride Workshop.” OUTWRITE will be facilitated by one of Bent’s volunteer teachers and held at their Capitol Hill location – RSVP for details. Bent workshops create a safe and supportive environment for Queers to tell their stories and express themselves through writing. Come celebrate Pride with them at this community-building, substance-free event. All Queer-identified folks are welcome: no previous writing experience is necessary. Cost is pay-what-you-can and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please RSVP to bent.news@gmail. com if you plan to attend. 2ND ANNUAL PROM DRESS RUGBY EXHIBITION GAME – CAL ANDERSON PARK On Friday, June 24, from 6-9 p.m., Seattle Quake Rugby will present their 2nd Annual “Prom Dress Rugby” at Bobby Morris Playfield in Cal Anderson Park (11th Ave. and E. Olive St., just north of E. Pine St.). Similar to the annual “Dykes vs. Drag Queens” softball game, admission will be $5 to “prime” sideline areas and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Abbey of St. Joan, will be selling penalties, conversions, scrums, lineouts, meters, tries and conversions to raise money for Seattle Quake Rugby and their
All the while enjoying a fabulous dinner buffet on the waters of Elliott Bay. Tickets $99.50 (includes tax and gratuity). For information and reservations, call 206-623-1445 or visit www.argosycruises. com. FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO – FILM SCREENING On Friday, June 24, at 7 p.m., the documentary For the Bible Tells Me So will be shown at University Christian Church (4731 15th Ave. NE). Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating Gays and Lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate? Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families – including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson – we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a Gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard’s Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, For the Bible Tells Me So offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of Scripture and sexual identity. This FREE screening is sponsored by University Christian Church (Disciples of
space is available on a first come, first served Christ), University District Ecumenical Parish, University Congregational UCC, basis. www.muckleshootcasino.com. Emerald City MCC Seattle, and University Baptist Church. QUEER TEEN ENSEMBLE THEATRE PRE-PRIDE FOLK-I-FIED – On Friday, June 24, Saturday, June 25, FEATURING COYOTE GRACE Sunday, June 26, from 6:30-9 p.m., WashWITH AMBER DARLAND, ington Ensemble Theatre (608 19th Ave. EVERYTHING BUT MARRIAGE E.) presents Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre On Friday, June 24, door at 6:30 p.m., (QTET), led by co-artistic director Jessica Hatlo. The performances will be the end re- show at 7 p.m., at Columbia City Church sult of the Ensemble’s model for ensemble- of Hope (3818 S. Angeline St.), enjoy “Pregenerated new works, where students col- Pride Folk-i-fied” featuring the folk/roots/ laboratively produce a piece of theatre based acoustic music of Coyote Grace, Amber on their own experiences surrounding iden- Darland and Everything But Marriage. tity, love, and Queerness. The month-long Tickets: $15-advance, $18-at the door (cash intensive begins with directed free-writing only), $7-children 12 and under, children that is eventually shared with the group and 3 and under free. www.brownpapertickets. is later used to generate something new. com/event/181870. Donations for YouthThis phase continues until there is a sense of Care’s Isis House, which provides transicohesion, and texts are then molded into a tional housing and case management for working script. www.washingtonensemble. LGBTQ youth (18-21), will be collected. www.coyotegrace.com, www.amberdarorg. land.com, www.reverbnation.com/everythingbutmarriage. ARGOSY CRUISES OFFERS PRIDE CRUISE ON ELLIOTT BAY STORM PRIDE NIGHT WITH DINNER BUFFET AND On Friday, June 24, at 7 p.m., at Key AreCELEBRITY IMPERSONATOR na, Seattle Center, join the Seattle Storm for SHOW On Friday, June 24, boarding at 6:15 p.m., an evening of women’s professional bascruise from 7-9:30 p.m. Argosy Cruises ketball – Seattle Storm vs. Minnesota – at hosts a 2-1/2 hour LGBT Pride dinner cruise Storm Pride Night. Lauren Jackson bobblewith a hilarious Celebrity Impersonator head for first 4,000 fans. Special $15 tickets, Show featuring Joan Rivers, Cher, Janis visit www.wnba.com/storm/pride.html and Joplin, Dolly Parton, Lady Gaga and Sarah enter promo code PRIDE. Palin. Come expecting lots of audience participation, including a FAB “AB” contest!
YOUTH PRIDE DANCE On Friday, June 24, from 7 p.m.-midnight, at Pravda Studios (1406 10th Ave., Ste 200), the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) of Washington State will be holding at Youth Pride Dance. The event is intended to give the under 21 community of LGBTQ youth and their allies a safe and fun way to participate in Seattle’s Pride weekend. The theme of the dance is “Born This Way” to go along with Seattle Pride’s theme of “Be You. Be Proud. Express Yourself!” The Youth Pride Dance hopes to honor this theme by allowing youth a space to celebrate themselves. An opening act to be determined will be scheduled from 7-8 p.m. From 8 p.m.-midnight a DJ dance party will be held. At 11 p.m. a Lady Gaga look-a-like contest will be held – prizes to be determined. Guests will receive a wristband for free entry to Neighbours after 2 a.m. Light refreshments will be served. A $5 suggested donation is requested. GLSEN strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN works with Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) groups in schools in the Seattle area and around the state as well as other LGBTQ youth centers, groups and organizations. SEATTLE MEN’S CHORUS’ “HEARTTHROBS” CONCERTS AT MCCAW HALL On Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, at 8 p.m., at McCaw Hall (321 Mercer St.) the Seattle Men’s Chorus presents “Heartthrobs.” Get ready to scream and faint with excitement as Seattle Men’s Chorus thrills fans of all generations with a musical look at America’s singing heartthrobs – the boy bands! This high-energy program pays tribute to six decades of male singing groups, from the Ink Spots to the Jonas Brothers, with a host of other swoon-worthy acts – like the Beatles, the Bee Gees, the Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire, Menudo, the Backstreet Boys, and ‘N Sync – sandwiched in between. Tickets: $20-$55. 206-3881400; www.flyinghouse.org. R PLACE PRESENTS “PRIDE WEEKEND” WITH JUJUBEE, SONIQUE, HOT PORN STARS AND SEATTLE’S TOP DRAG QUEENS On Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, door at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., R Place (619 E. Pine St. at Boylston Ave.) presents “Pride Weekend” with Jujubee and Seattle’s top drag queens. Sonique joins the show on Saturday, and on Sunday, June 26, door at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., enjoy an evening with Sonique. Plus visiting porn stars will be entertaining all weekend long. Tickets: $15-general admission; $25-VIP. Advance tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/178083. www.rplaceseattle.com. TWO KNIGHTS PRESENTS “EVOLUTION” AT BALTIC ROOM On Friday, June 24, from 9 p.m.-3 a.m., at The Baltic Room (1207 Pine St.), Two Knights presents “Evolution,” a dance party with DJ Craig Gaibler, who knocked your socks off at last year’s Seven Deadly Sins “Vanity” party. Tickets: $15 advance; $20 at the door, if available. This event will likely sell out. Advance tickets strongly recommended. www.twoknightsevent.com/evolution.html.
Saturday, June 25 DIGNITY/SEATTLE HOLDS 23RD ANNUAL PRIDE PANCAKE BREAKFAST On Saturday, June 25, from 8 a.m.-noon, Dignity/Seattle hosts their 23rd annual Pride Pancake Breakfast at Central Lutheran Church Social Hall (1710 11th Ave., see pride calendar page 16
Come meet Tim and Matt and join the family.
Go 1605 12th Avenue at Pine, Seattle (In liquor store parking garage.) Seattle Storm!
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June 24, 2011
Seattle Gay News 15
pride calendar continued from page 15
across from Cal Anderson Park). Includes raffle prizes. Cost is $7 donation. Proceeds go to Multifaith Works, Bailey-Boushay House, and Dignity/Seattle. Bring your old cell phones, empty ink cartridges, laptops, digital cameras, hand-held game systems, GPS devices to recycle. Dignity/Seattle has been a faith community of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Catholics and their families and friends in Seattle since 1973. To volunteer with set up Friday at 6 p.m. and serve breakfast and wash dishes on Saturday from 8 a.m.-noon, email Dignity.Seattle@gmail.com or call 206-659-5519. For more information, visit www.dignityseattle.org.
SHIFT NETWORK WITH GAY CITY PRESENTS “LIBERATE” FREE ALL-AGES PRIDE DANCE PARTY On Saturday, June 25, from 8 p.m.-2 a.m., at Sole Repair Shop (10th Ave. & E. Pike St.), celebrate Pride weekend at “Liberate,” a FREE (free entry with RSVP) all-ages Pride dance party featuring music from some of Seattle’s hottest DJs. Featuring Flammable Resident DJs Wesley Holmes, Brian Lyons and Karl Kamakahi. To RSVP, visit www. brownpapertickets.com/event/178395 to reserve your free tickets. For more information, contact Gay City at 206-860-6969 or info@gaycity.org. Sponsored by Gay QUEER TEEN City Health Project, Rosehedge/Multifaith ENSEMBLE THEATRE On Thursday, June 23, Friday, June 24, Works, Dunshee House, and Seattle CounSaturday, June 25, Sunday, June 26, from seling Service, through the SHIFT Network 6:30-9 p.m., Washington Ensemble Theatre and ourQ.org. www.gaycity.org. (608 19th Ave. E.) presents Queer Teen EnR PLACE PRESENTS semble Theatre (QTET), led by co-artistic “PRIDE WEEKEND” WITH director Jessica Hatlo. The performances JUJUBEE, SONIQUE, will be the end result of the Ensemble’s HOT PORN STARS AND SEATTLE’S TOP DRAG QUEENS On Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, door at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., R Place (619 E. Pine St. at Boylston Ave.) presents “Pride Weekend” with Jujubee and Seattle’s top drag queens. Sonique joins the show on Saturday, and on Sunday, June 26, door at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., enjoy an evening with Sonique. Plus visiting porn stars will be entertaining all weekend long. Tickets: $15-general admission; $25-VIP. Advance tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/178083. www. rplaceseattle.com. CONCERT FOR EQUALITY WITH CRYSTAL BOWERSOX, THELMA HOUSTON AND THE BAND BETTY On Saturday, June 25, gates at 5 p.m., concert from 6-9:30 p.m., join Crystal Bowersox, Grammy winner Thelma Houston, and the band BETTY, for a night of amazing music, drinks (including 21+ beer garden), food and Pride on the sprawling lawns of the Mural Amphitheatre (just north of the Pacific Science Center and south of Center House). Tickets: $20 advance at www. brownpapertickets.com. www.seattlepridefest.org.
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13TH ANNUAL RAINBOW LBTQ HEALTH FAIR On Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at Gilda’s Club (1400 Broadway at E. Union St.), the YWCA’s Women’s Health Outreach Program is hosting the 13th Annual Rainbow LBTQ Health Fair. Experience an exciting diversity of peer complimentary health services intended to empower and encourage our community members. Services available at the health fair include acupuncture, massage, Trager, energy healing, personal trainers, tarot readings, safer sex, cholesterol checks and a wonderful laughter session. The Swedish Breast Center Mammography coach partners on-site for low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible individuals 40 and over (insurance is accepted also). For detailed information on the health fair program and additional peer provider services offered, follow the blog at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com/. To schedule a mammogram appointment, please call 206-436-8623.
PRIDE COMMUNITY WORSHIP SERVICE – “LIVE PROUD! GOD LOVES YOU!” On Saturday, June 25, at 1 p.m., at All Pilgrims Church (500 Broadway E., at E. Republican St.) a Pride Community Worship Service will be held. This year’s theme is “Live Proud! God Loves You!” With guest speaker: Rev. Diane Darling, Pastor Alki United Church of Christ. Join the Community Chorus to sing “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent. Rehearsal at All Pilgrims at 11 a.m. Love offering to benefit Lambert House, Seattle’s resource center for LGBT youth and young adults. Sponsors include All Pilgrims Christian Church (United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ), Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Seattle, Prospect United Church of Christ, Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle Gay News, University Baptist Church, University Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), University District Ecumenical Parish, and University Lutheran Church. For more info, visit www.mccseattle.org
NAMES PROJECT AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT PANELS AT SEATTLE CENTER From June 24 through June 26, 10 panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display at the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (south of the International Fountain).
RED – THE BIG PRIDE PARTIES On Saturday, June 25, Seattle PrideFest presents two big Pride parties. The RED Men’s Pride Party with DJ Brian Gorr will be held from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. at Neumos (10th Ave. and E. Pike St.) Tickets: $20 pre-sale. www.seattlepridefest.org. The RED Women’s Pride Party with DJ Spinderella will be held from 10 p.m.-4 Armistead Maupin a.m. at Baltic Room (1207 Pine St., near model for ensemble-generated new works, Melrose Ave.) Tickets: $20 pre-sale. www. ARMISTEAD MAUPIN where students collaboratively produce a seattlepridefest.org. AT SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY piece of theatre based on their own experiAND W SEATTLE HOTEL Sunday, June 26 On Saturday, June 25, from 3-4:30 p.m., ences surrounding identity, love, and Queerthe Seattle Public Library and Seattle Pride- ness. The month-long intensive begins with SEATTLE PRIDE BRUNCH Fest welcome best-selling author Armistead directed free-writing that is eventually AT HARD ROCK CAFÉ Maupin for a special Pride Week reading shared with the group and is later used to On Sunday, June 26, from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 from his latest novel, Mary Ann in Autumn, generate something new. This phase continand a conversation on the very Gay world of ues until there is a sense of cohesion, and a.m., The Hard Rock Café (116 Pike St.) in Tales of the City. The reading will be held texts are then molded into a working script. conjunction with Seattle Out & Proud, is hosting a special Pride-inspired all-you-canat the Seattle Public Library, Microsoft Au- www.washingtonensemble.org. eat breakfast buffet to fuel your morning ditorium (1000 Fourth Ave.) The event is before the downtown Pride Parade begins. RYAN HAZY’S FREE and open to the public, but tickets Cost is $19.95 with 20% of that cost going FREE SHOW AT are required. Tickets are available at www. to Seattle Out & Proud during those hours. ROSEBUD RESTAURANT brownpapertickets.com or at 800-838-3006. On Saturday, June 25, at 7 p.m. and 10 Seating is not guaranteed after 2:45 p.m. p.m., at Rosebud Restaurant and Bar (719 SEATTLE PRIDE PARADE www.seattlepridefest.org. On Sunday, June 26, starting at 9 a.m., the On Saturday, June 25, from 4:30-6:30 E. Pike St.), Ryan Hazy presents a FREE p.m., attend a VIP Meet & Greet with Ar- unscripted show. Synopsis: Ryan Hazy has Seattle Pride Parade assembles on 4th Ave. mistead Maupin at the W Seattle Hotel an Evil TWIN Sister who is out to steal the just south of Westlake Park. At 11 a.m. the (1112 Fourth Ave.) Enjoy complimentary show away from him. Will She Succeed? parade steps off and travels north on 4th Ave. to PrideFest 2011 at Seattle Center’s hors d’ouevres and the opportunity to meet Find out! Fisher Pavilion and International Fountain. and chat with Armistead Maupin. Cost is SEATTLE MEN’S CHORUS’ “Be You. Be Proud. Express Yourself!” is $15 – with a portion of the proceeds to ben“HEARTTHROBS” CONCERTS the parade theme for 2011 and is a celebraefit Equal Rights Washington. Limited enAT MCCAW HALL tion of the cultural diversity that the LGBT try; pay at the door. Get $5 off entry with On Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June and allied communities express every day. a PrideFest VIP Pass. www.seattlepridefest. 25, at 8 p.m., at McCaw Hall (321 Mer- This year’s theme is a celebration of our org. cer St.) the Seattle Men’s Chorus presents ability to create, innovate, influence, and ex“Heartthrobs.” Get ready to scream and press ourselves. For more information, visit SEATTLE DYKE MARCH faint with excitement as Seattle Men’s Cho- www.seattlepride.org. AND RALLY On Saturday, June 25, the Seattle Dyke rus thrills fans of all generations with a muSHIFT NETWORK PRESENTS March Rally will be held from 5-7 p.m. at sical look at America’s singing heartthrobs SHIFT AT PRIDEFEST Seattle Central Community College Plaza – the boy bands! This high-energy program On Sunday, June 26, join and/or watch (Broadway and E. Pine St.). Confirmed per- pays tribute to six decades of male singformers include: Emcee Lamar Van Dyke, ing groups, from the Ink Spots to the Jonas the SHIFT contingent march in the Seattle Laura Robinson and Everything But Mar- Brothers, with a host of other swoon-wor- Pride parade and afterwards join SHIFT at riage, Seven Star Women’s Kung Fu, the thy acts – like the Beatles, the Bee Gees, the PrideFest in the Chill Lounge at the Gay Northwest Network, and more. The Seattle Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire, Menudo, City Health Project booth atop the Fisher Dyke March steps off at 7 p.m. to go around the Backstreet Boys, and ‘N Sync – sand- Pavilion at Seattle Center. Sponsored by wiched in between. Tickets: $20-$55. 206- Gay City Health Project, Rosehedge/MulCapitol Hill and back to the Plaza. tifaith Works, Dunshee House, and Seattle For more information, visit www.seattle- 388-1400; www.flyinghouse.org. Counseling Service, through the SHIFT dykemarch.com.
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CAPITOL HILL PRIDE FESTIVAL 2011 On Saturday, June 25, from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., the third annual Capitol Hill Pride Festival will be held on Broadway E., between E. John and E. Roy Sts. This is a free, all-ages community festival celebrating diversity and community pride. The fiveblock festival will feature three stages and 150 booths and vendors. Attractions include live and DJ’d music, drag and dance performance, artwalk, fashion shows, and a Doggie Drag Costume Contest. For a complete list of entertainment, performers, vendors, and other participants, visit capitolhillpridefestival.net. RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE ALUMNI AT JULIA’S 2011 GAY PRIDE BLOCK PARTY On Saturday, June 25, from noon-10 p.m., Julia’s on Broadway presents their 2011 Gay Pride Block Party (Broadway E. & E. Thomas St.), in conjunction with the Capitol Hill Pride Festival, featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 1 contestant and former “LeFaux” host, Shannel, along with Season 2 alumni, Jessica Wild, and Season 3 alumni, India Ferrah. Join host Mama Tits along with DJ Dana Dub, Seattle’s premier drag performers, and the cast of “LeFaux” and local live bands Smoking Bill, Sex Offender, and the Georgetown Orbits for a party to remember. The Seattle Squadron Softball team will host the food and drink booths, along with providing free prizes. Julia’s Gay Pride Block Party is a fundraiser to benefit the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Abbey of St. Joan.
Celebrating 38 Years!
Network. SEATTLE PRIDEFEST 2011 On Sunday, June 26, from noon-8 p.m., PrideFest 2011 gears up at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion and International Fountain following the parade. Enjoy 3 stages, national and local artists, community nonprofit booths, food and commercial vendors, beer gardens. The International Fountain dance scene will rock. For more information, visit www.seattlepridefest.org or e-mail info@seattlepridefest.org. NAMES PROJECT AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT PANELS AT SEATTLE CENTER From June 24 through June 26, 10 panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display at the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (south of the International Fountain). The display is sponsored by PrideFest. QUEER TEEN ENSEMBLE THEATRE On Thursday, June 23, Friday, June 24, Saturday, June 25, Sunday, June 26, from 6:30-9 p.m., Washington Ensemble Theatre (608 19th Ave. E.) presents Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre (QTET), led by co-artistic director Jessica Hatlo. The performances will be the end result of the Ensemble’s model for ensemble-generated new works, where students collaboratively produce a piece of theatre based on their own experiences surrounding identity, love, and Queerness. The month-long intensive begins with directed free-writing that is eventually shared with the group and is later used to generate something new. This phase continues until there is a sense of cohesion, and texts are then molded into a working script. www.washingtonensemble.org.
On Sunday, June 26, at midnight, KCTS 9 TV broadcasts In the Life TV’s June episode, “A Message of Hope,” featuring a gospel choir raising spirits and awareness about HIV/AIDS. Messengers of Hope is an Oakland-based gospel choir that uses gospel music as a means to go into the church and the community to engage people in conversations about HIV/AIDS. African Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the epidemic’s beginnings. Maintaining the theme of celebrating one’s authentic self, In the Life also features Andre Cooley, a Mississippi Corrections Officer who was fired when his employer discovered he was Gay and Bill Hendrix, Bio Team Leader of Dow AgroSciences in Indiana who has civil protections from 8 a.m-5 p.m. that disappear after leaving the gates of his company. Their personal stories provide a look at employment discrimination and how some corporations provide protections to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender employees in the absence of a federally ac-
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH TO BENEFIT THE “IT GETS BETTER” PROJECT On Sunday, June 26, at 8 p.m., the Crocodile Café (2200 2nd Ave.) presents the stage musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, to benefit the “It Gets Better” Project. Tickets: $15 plus $3 service charge. Must be 21+. www.hedwigseattle.com. cepted Employment Non-Discrimination Act. CLAIMING THE TITLE: For more information and to watch the epGAY OLYMPICS ON TRIAL isode online, visit www.itlmedia.org at your ON KCTS 9 TV convenience. On the 25th anniversary of its arrival to the U.S. Supreme Court, the historic legal Monday, June 27 battle over the “Gay Olympics” will be the subject of a documentary airing on PBS staINDEPENDENT LENS tions around the country beginning June 1. PRESENTS TWO SPIRITS The documentary will be shown in the SeON KCTS 9 TV attle market on Sunday, June 26, at 10:30 On Monday, June 27, at 10 p.m., Indepenp.m, on KCTS 9 TV. dent Lens presents Two Spirits on KCTS 9 San Francisco filmmakers Jonathan Join- TV. Two Spirits interweaves the tragic story er and Robert Martin capture a rich history of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing of events in the LGBT civil rights move- look at the largely unknown history of a time ment in Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics when the world wasn’t simply divided into on Trial. The half-hour documentary is both male and female and many Native American historic and timely – revealing the hidden cultures held places of honor for people of conflicts behind a lawsuit that many in the integrated genders. Powerful and moving, community believed to be a risky challenge Lydia Nibley’s Two Spirits explores the life to a high profile institution. and death of Fred Martinez and the ancient The film examines the lawsuit that pitted Native American Two-Spirit tradition. Olympic athlete Tom Waddell and moveFred Martinez told his mother he felt as ment legal activist Mary Dunlap against the if he was both a boy and a girl, and she exU.S. Olympics Committee and its ultimate plained that this is a special gift, according resolution before the U.S. Supreme Court. to traditional Navajo culture. But the place The case was lifted into the news again re- where two discriminations meet is a dangercently and linked to the same-sex marriage ous place to live, and Fred became one of fight due to the ironic role of Vaughn Walk- the youngest hate-crime victims in modern er, who was an attorney for the Olympics history when he was brutally murdered at Committee in their fight to stop the “Gay sixteen. Between tradition and controversy, Olympics” and in 2010 was the federal and freedom and fear, lies the truth – the judge who declared California’s same-sex bravest choice you can make is to be yourmarriage ban unconstitutional. self. Two Spirits explores issues of national IN THE LIFE TV concern including bullying and violence CELEBRATES GAY PRIDE MONTH commonly faced by LGBT people, and the WITH “A MESSAGE OF HOPE” epidemic of LGBT teen suicide, and reveals ON KCTS 9 TV the range of gender expressions that has
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long been seen as a healthy part of many of www.rainbowcntr.org or www.outintathe indigenous cultures of North America, coma.com. and of Navajo culture in particular. BELLINGHAM PRIDE Tuesday, June 28 B PROUD PRIDE WEEK JULY 6-10 “LGBT POWER + On Sunday, July 10, the Bellingham UNION POWER = Pride Parade steps off at noon and travels EQUALITY” – along Cornwall Ave. to the B-Proud FestiAN LGBT COMMUNITY FORUM val, which will be held from noon-5 p.m., at FEATURING CLEVE JONES Depot Market Square (Bellingham’s DownOn Tuesday, June 28, at 4:30 p.m., at Ka- town Farmers Market) (1100 Railroad Ave., ladi Brothers Café (511 E. Pike St.), long- Bellingham). For more information and time LGBT activist, Cleve Jones, founder of a schedule of other B-Proud events, visit the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt www.bhampride.org or see the Bellingham and co-chair of the 2009 Equality March in Pride 2011 ad on page 19 in this week’s Washington, DC, will join with UniteHere! SGN. hotel workers union organizers to discuss how you can support LGBT hotel workers. VICTORIA, BC PRIDE Sponsored by UniteHere! and Pride at Work JULY 8-10 (AFL/CIO) Seattle chapter. On Sunday, July 10, at noon, the Pride Parade steps off from Government and Pandora PRIDE AROUND WASHINGTON Sts. and travels to the Pride Festival at MacAND IN BRITISH COLUMBIA Donald Park (Oswego St. and Simcoe St., Victoria) which starts at 1 p.m. Enjoy live bands, drag performances, vendors, food fair, community groups, children’s entertainment and beer garden. A Sunset Harbour Boat Cruise will be held on Friday, July 8, from 7-10 p.m. This annual event will take you on a breathtaking tour of the Inner Harbour, and surrounding area. See cruise ships, the Johnston Street Bridge, and everything in between. Fantastic music, company, and giveaways help make this a memorable evening. www.victoriapridesociety.org. MID-COLUMBIA PRIDE “TRUE COLORS” PRIDE WEEK JULY 10-17 Club Out & About (327 W. Lewis, Pasco) will host an LGBTQ Film Festival on 7/10 at 4 p.m., an 18+ Drag Bingo & Drag in a Bag Contest on 7/13 at 9:30 p.m., an Out & About Idol: Karaoke Contest on 7/14 at 9 p.m., the Miss Gay Columbia Basin Pageant on 7/16 at 9 p.m., and the Pink Party on 7/17 at 6 p.m. On 7/15 at 6:30 p.m., the Rainbow Awards will be presented in Walla Walla at a location to be determined. On 7/16 at Keewaydin Park (W. 4th Ave. and S. Auburn St., Kennewick), a W4W softball game will be held at 11 a.m. and a M4M kickball game will be held at 1 p.m. On 7/17 the Pride March will step off on Kennewick Ave. in Kennewick at 2 p.m. and march to Keewaydin Park for the Pride Festival from 3-6 p.m.
“RAINBOWS OVER ST. HELENS” – A PRE-PRIDE KICK OFF PARTY TO BENEFIT RAINBOW CENTER IN TACOMA On Thursday, June 30, at 9 p.m., at The KITSAP PRIDE Mix (635 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma), join JULY 16 Miss Gay Washington and the Imperial Kitsap County celebrates Pride on SaturCourt of Tacoma – The Diamond Empire. day, July 16, at Bremerton’s Evergreen Park First prize is $100 cash plus two tickets to (1500 Park Ave.). www.kitsappride.org. the Rainbow Center’s annual gala with lots of others prizes for runners-up. $2 cover NORTH AMERICAN OUTGAMES benefits Tacoma’s Rainbow Center. www. VANCOUVER, BC thediamondempire.org. JULY 25-31 www.vancouver2011outames.com “SATURDAY IN THE PARK” VANCOUVER, WA PRIDE VANCOUVER, BC JULY 9 DYKE MARCH On Saturday, July 9, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., JULY 30 at Esther Short Park (W. Columbia Ave. and www.vancouverdykemarch.com W. 8th St., Vancouver, WA), celebrate Vancouver’s “Bigger, Better, Brighter” GLBTQ VANCOUVER, BC Pride for SW Washington. On Sunday, June PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL 26, Vancouver hosts their 7th annual Gay JULY 31 Pride Pageant, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show, The annual Pride Parade, from noon-3 at The Northbank Bar (106 W. 6th St., Van- p.m., travels through the downtown corricouver, WA).) http://sitppride.info. dor along Denman St. and ends at the Sunset Beach for the Pride Festival. The 150 pa“OUT IN TACOMA/ rade entries include colourful floats, musiOUT IN THE PARK” cal marching bands, community groups and TACOMA/PIERCE COUNTY 650,000 spectators. The celebration conPRIDE FESTIVAL tinues at the Sunset Beach Pride Festival, JULY 9 On Saturday, July 9, from noon to 6 p.m., which attracts 125,000 people and features in Tacoma’s downtown Theater District (on ive music by local performers and headlinBroadway, between 9th St. and 11th St., and ers. The festival includes 140 booths with on the plaza between The Broadway Cen- a diverse range of products, services, and a ter for the Performing Arts and the Pierce private, beachfront beer garden. www.vanTransit Park/staging area), Out in Tacoma couverpride.ca. presents the 2011 Tacoma/Pierce Country Pride Festival.
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Seattle Gay News 17
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Celebrating 38 Years!
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Celebrating 38 Years!
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To these Lesbians, “old” is not a four-letter word by Margaret Purcell Courtesy of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change
said Mary. “My partner and I stepped into a car dealership last week. The man who opened the door asked, ‘What can we do for you guys today?’ Not one minute later, another man asked, ‘Can I get you guys some coffee?’ When it was gently pointed out that we weren’t guys, we were treated to that condescending chuckle that just pushes our buttons.” “My partner asked, ‘What if the two of you came into our business and we said, ‘Can we get you gals some coffee?’ You can bet they wouldn’t have taken that as a compliment!’ ‘You guys’ is not gender-neutral, as some would have you think, so PS OLOCers now keep a change jar on the table at
June 24, 2011
Purcell
22 Seattle Gay News
courtesy margaret
married and had children, and coming out risked losing homes and families.” Organizing the community, finding the “It used to be when I referred to myself in women, and then providing ways to stay concerts as a Lesbian, some of the people connected is a top priority for PS OLOC. in the audience would gasp,” said singer- That alone is a significant change. But it doesn’t end there. One songwriter Alix Dobkin, now 72 years old, when she visited the Seattle and Tacoma area in early April of 2011. “Times have changed. When I refer to myself as an old Lesbian, people barely react to ‘Lesbian,’ but they are shocked that I say ‘old.’” Alix is part of OLOC, Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, a national organization that is devoted to improving the lives of old Lesbians by challenging ageism and other isms that impact Lesbians 60 years of age and older. Nearly five years ago, a local chapter of OLOC formed, based in the Tacoma/Gig Harbor area, but reaching widely into the greater Puget Sound area. With their feet well under them, Puget Sound (PS) OLOC agreed to take on planning a regional conference for old Lesbians, to be held in Tacoma July 2831. At one of their early visits to the hotel that will be the site of the conference, the group of planners were introduced to a regional manager for the hotel chain. When asked about their group, they volunteered that they were a chapter of OLOC, Gloria Stancich (l) and Mar y Henry and they had a different reaction than Alix had described. Mary Henry, part of the PS OLOC of the first challenges is to get leadership, said, “When we said ‘old’ to the women to buy into using the term “old” all events that says ‘You say it, you pay it!’ hotel managers, they were OK. When we instead of “older,” or another euphemism. We do our best to point it out whenever we said ‘Lesbian,’ they still seemed OK. But “Older” doesn’t mean anything unless it’s can – but, being raised women, we tend to when we said ‘organizing for change,’ you used in comparison. And even then, it’s of- be too polite about it! But we’re trying.” could tell what word made them a bit ner- ten useless. If you were told that Sophia is The upcoming three-day conference for older than Chris, you still don’t know much old Lesbians in Tacoma demonstrates just vous! It was ‘change.’” A demand for change, especially when it of anything about Sophia’s age. She could how seriously PS OLOC takes the challenge comes from a group of old women, can be a be 5 and Chris 4, for all you know. But if for working to improve the lives of women scary prospect. Just what “change” are these you were told Sophia and Chris were old, in their own community. Gloria Stancich, women trying to affect? The first big step you’d know a lot more about them. OLOC who will be 76 in a few weeks, said, “Gathlocally was to begin to organize their own believes we need to reclaim the word “old” ering together with 100 or more of your concommunity. According to Gloria, another of just as a younger generation worked hard to temporaries is a powerful and unique expethe PS OLOC leadership team, “There are reclaim the word “Queer.” Modern culture rience. I’ve been to several of them over the hundreds of old Lesbians living in the Puget may be obsessed with all things young and last decade, laughing, learning, and forming Sound area, but many of them live very corporations work tirelessly to sell you a zil- friendships. I always come back home both quiet lives. Worse, some are truly isolated. lion products and procedures that will keep exhausted and energized.” Even though we are living in an age where you from looking old, but that doesn’t mean Gloria has taken the lead in developing the Gay and Lesbian characters pop up on tele- you have to buy into it. program for this summer’s regional gatherOLOC has also taken on another almost ing, which will take place from July 28-31 vision, are out as musicians, or even hold public offices, there is that part of us that impossible mission: they’re trying to stop in Tacoma. (For more information, visit can’t help but be cautious. For much of our everyone from addressing them as “you www.oloc.org.) “I’d heard award-winning early lives, letting anyone know you were guys.” “You can’t go anywhere in public Lesbian historian Lillian Faderman speak at a Lesbian put your job at risk. A lot of us without being addressed as ‘you guys,’” an LGBT conference in Tacoma over a decade ago, and she was immediately my first choice for keynote speaker for our gathering this summer. We were absolutely thrilled that she agreed to speak.” The conference will be a mix of opportunities to learn, share, and play, and includes a dance on Friday night and a concert by French-Canadian singer-songwriter Lucie Blue Tremblay on Saturday evening. Women of all ages are invited to attend the concert and dance, but the conference itself is limited to women who identify as old Lesbians. “A big part of the magic of the OLOC gatherings is that you spend those days with Lesbians of your own age, women who
know what you’re talking about when you refer to the purges at colleges in the ’50s or talk about the Daughters of Bilitis or even mention a Burma Shave sign!” Each chapter of OLOC is encouraged to develop its own style and focus. For the Puget Sound chapter, one of their major projects is to help gather and document the life stories of Lesbians at least 70 years of age. The stories are done as recorded oral interviews that are then transcribed and put together with support documents to form a book. The support documents are usually photos and copies of certificates, newspaper articles, writings and such. “Doing the herstory work is a blast!” said Mary, part of the local herstory team. “We encourage the women sharing their stories to tell us anything they want about their lives. Of course, we’d love to have them tell about the Lesbian aspects of their life – how they found other Lesbians when they were young, how being a Lesbian affected their jobs and families – but it doesn’t have to be just about their Lesbian life. In fact, we encourage them to tell about their family of origin, about going to school as a kid, about any religious upbringing – and on the other end of the spectrum, about their hopes for the future and if they have a bucket list. Some people may think there isn’t much yet to come for a woman who has passed her 70year mark, but they’d be amazed. Just listening to what some of these women are up to can wear you out!” PS OLOC is collecting local herstories as part of a national effort, the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project. The OLOHP has been gathering stories since 1997, focusing on women born early in the 1900s. Of course, now that it’s 2011, women just turning 70 were born in 1941! The OLOHP (www. olohp.org) collection is being archived in the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Locally, PS OLOC is also contributing a copy of each Pacific Northwest herstory to the Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archive (www. pnwlesbianarchives.org), which is housed at the Washington State History Society (www.wshs.org). “We’ve been lucky enough to have the Pride Foundation jump in as supporters of our efforts,” said Gloria. “I know we’ve even raised their consciousness a bit. When we were referred to as ‘old’ during a grant review committee meeting, several members seemed to be offended on our behalf, suggesting they use the word ‘older’ instead. Jeff, who was presenting our information, straightened them out on that one!” Not everyone in PS OLOC is totally immersed in the organization, but its structure is such that you can simply lurk and read posts on their Yahoo! list and get their newsletter, and some only participate in the social events, while others dive in headfirst, interviewing, transcribing, marching, networking, and more. If you’re an old Lesbian and would like to get in on the action, give them a holler at info@psoloc.org. And if you’re not an old Lesbian, but you see them out and about, stop and tell them you appreciate what they’re doing … just don’t slip up and call them “older” or “you guys,” or you might get a lot more than a friendly “Thank you!”
Celebrating 38 Years!
Sens. Cantwell and Murray urge IRS to fix filing problems for same-sex couples file photo
them to fix problems faced by samesex couples while filing their 2010 federal income tax returns. The letter was sent to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman on June 21. “For same-sex couples and domestic partners in states like Washington that recognize these unions, filing accurate federal tax returns is disproportionately difficult and places an unreasonable burden on taxpayers,” Cantwell said in a statement to SGN. “It is important that the IRS issue clear guidance so that these couples who are making all attempts to file correctly can accurately understand their tax liabilities and not have to worry about their returns being misread or improperly interpreted.” Senator Maria Cantwell Murray agreed. by Mike Andrew “Same-sex couples in Washington state SGN Staff Writer have spent great amounts of time and money trying to accurately file their tax returns and Washington’s U.S. senators, Maria they deserve to have a system that works for Cantwell and Patty Murray, are among six them,” she said. senators sending a letter to the IRS urging “The IRS needs to act quickly to address
Researcher seeks hate speech victims by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Have you been a victim of hate speech in the last two years? Still upset about it? Over 18? Want to help others to deal with the emotional stress caused by hate speech? If so, John Crowley wants to talk to you. Crowley is a graduate student at the University of Washington conducting an experiment “to see if a writing exercise can help victims reduce stress associated with hate speech.” “I was struck by how often LGBT people experience hate speech,” Crowley told SGN. “Here, we’re studying how to help them recover. “This is based on a large body of literature that links hate speech and discrimination to elevated stress levels and therefore increased illness, disease, and proportionately higher mortality rates among minorities who experience them. “And for some people, minority stress is amplified because they fit into multiple minority categories – they’re Gay and Asian,
for example. “And stress has a physical side, related to the emotional side. It’s not surprising that minorities have higher mortality rates and lower life expectancies. “Accumulated stress over time can cause an overload of the HPA axis – which can result in health disparities such as an increase in heart disease, heart attack, ulcers, suppression of the immune system….” The HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis describes a complex series of physiological feedback interactions that control the body’s reaction to stress – the stress suffered by an LGBT target of hate speech, for example. Crowley’s experiment will measure physical indicators of stress before and after an expressive writing intervention. “We test for two chemicals related to stress in the saliva,” Crowley told SGN. “We take baseline saliva samples, we take samples after they recall their experience with hate speech, and then they’re assigned to do a writing exercise.
this issue and help people get the guidance they need to comply with the law.” The letter was signed by Murray and Cantwell, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Patrick Leahy (D-V.T.), Tom Harkin (D-I.A.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). All six are Democrats, and all are from states that recognize same-sex relationships in some form. “Today, each of our states recognizes same-sex marriages or domestic partnerships that the federal government does not recognize. When couples in these relationships attempted to calculate their tax returns this year, they encountered significant problems,” the letter said. “We respectfully request that you take steps to provide appropriate guidance to these couples.” In their letter, the six senators cited specific issues that made it difficult for samesex couples to file accurate tax returns, and called on the IRS to provide these couples with the guidance they need to comply with the law. Among the issues raised by the senators was the investment of time it took samesex couples to figure out how to fill out the forms. “Many couples have reported spending substantial amounts of time and money trying to file accurate tax returns,” the senators wrote. State community property laws also created problems for some couples.
“It is also imperative that the IRS address the specific problems encountered by couples in California, Washington, and Nevada, where state community property laws apply,” the letter insisted. Because some states, like Washington, require same-sex couples to combine their incomes and then each pay taxes on one-half the total, “underpayment penalties may be wrongly assessed or the system may incorrectly register that overpayments have been made.” The senators also found that where one partner is self-employed, “social security credits and tax liabilities may be wrongly attributed to the taxpayer who is not selfemployed.” “These administrative difficulties threaten to add additional, unacceptable burdens to couples that already went to great lengths to file accurate returns,” the senators said. The six senators also recognized that the essential obstacle to fairness under federal tax codes is DOMA, which forbids federal recognition of same-sex relationships. “Some, but not all, of these problems would be solved by repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. We support repeal of that law,” they said. “Until the full Congress acts, however, it is essential that the IRS take steps to ensure that couples have the guidance they need to file accurate tax returns under current law and that an administrative system be in place to recognize accurate returns when they are filed.”
“We want to see if the writing exercise can reduce stress associated with hate speech.” Crowley currently has five men and seven women signed up for the experiment. He wants to recruit 50 more. He will pay all his subjects $25 to participate, if they meet the experiment’s guidelines. “They should be LGBTQ,” Crowley explained. “They can be any ethnicity. “They should have experienced hate speech in the last two years, and not be in a close relationship with the perpetrator – because if it’s a close relationship, if it’s your father, for example, it’s easier to negotiate a resolution through face-to-face discussion. “If you’re not in a close relationship, you have less opportunity to resolve the issue. “And it must be a painful experience. In other words, you haven’t forgiven the perpetrator – or you don’t just say, ‘Forget it, I don’t care.’” Crowley hopes his experiment will indicate that expressive writing exercises have a therapeutic effect on stress and stress-related disease. “What I hope to do – this is my dissertation – so I hope to publish it in a major journal – and then I hope to apply the findings to other minorities as well,” he said. “It’s important to me as a researcher to do work that has a practical application. I’m all for developing theory – and I do theoretical work – but I really want to do work to help
people cope with the effects of hate speech. “This study focuses on people over 18, but I’d like to work with a younger population on issues related to cyber-bullying.” Crowley hopes to be finished collecting data by November, then write up the results this winter. Asked what will happen if the experiment fails to show any reduction in stress markers, Crowley smiles. “If it doesn’t work – that’s a cool result. Then we know we have to try something else.” Individuals interested in participating in this experiment should email Crowley at crowlj3@uw.edu.
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Seattle Gay News 23
El VIH/SIDA en la cuminidad Latina en Seattle Why we need a Queer and con muchas agencies Latinas en Seattle, para llevar esta prueba gratis a nuestra comunidad. www.gaycity.org para mas informacion, o
by Luis Viquez Special to the SGN
Este junio 2011 marca el 30 aniversario de el inicio de la epidemia del VIH/SIDA en USA. Como un fantastama obscure y sigiloso, este virus ha aprendido como adaptarse, esconderse, mutarse y infectar a diferentes comunidades en el mundo. Al inicio era mas que nada gays/bisexuals, hoy en dia son minorias raciales, mujeres, immigrantes y por supuesto, hombres gays/bisexuales. En el condado de King, en la ciudad de Seattle, no ha sido diferente tampoco, hoy en dia tenemos casi 7000 casos de VIH/SIDA, cada ano diagnosticamos entre 200 y 300 nuevos casos en esta ciudad de Seattle, muchos de ellos en las poblaciones que mencinamos anteriormente….! Apesar que hemos hechos avances impresedentes en el cambio del tratamiento, prevencion y vacunas en contra del VIH, no hemos podido encontrar una cura o vacuna definitive para borrar de la faz de la tierra este virus, su complejidad alimentada por todos los problemas culturales, socials e migratorios, hacen de este virus un enemigo formidable dificial de vencer, pero su dia llegara!. Los Latinos somos el 8% de la poblacion registrada en el censo 2011 en Seattle, pero somos el 11% de los casos reportados del VIH/SIDA decuardo el ultimo reporte epidemiologico del departmento de Salud del Condado King-Seattle.
Esta misma historia de dispropocionalidad se repite en los Africano-Americanos y en mas altamente en la comunidad LGBT, particularment en el hombre gay/bisexual. Dentro de la comunidad Latina, el racismo, descriminacion, la religion, politicas y leyes migratorias y anti-immigratorias, falta de acceso y recursos adecuados linguistica y culturamente apropiados, continuan alimentando esta epidemia en nuestra poblacion Latina en este condado, situacion que se refleja a nival nacional en USA. Debemos de utilizar medios de comunicacion como Univision, la radio Latina local, organizaciones, instituciones como la Iglesia catolica local, para propagar mejor educacion, informacion, y servicios para prevenir y tartar este enemigo del VIH/SIDA. Cada caso de VIH cuesta un aproximado de $20.000 anual, los medicamentos son mejores, mas efectivos, mas tolerados, menos toxicos a corto plazo, pero cuestan casi $1.800 al mes! No podemos seguir en este predicamento, tenemos que encontrar una solucion, una cura, una vacuna, llevar el mensaje preventivo a los hispanos y personas monolingues, que no tienen acceso a informacion! Agencias como Entre Hermanos y Gay City, que ofrecen servicios en Espanol para estas poblaciones, son agencies ejemplares en la lucha contra el VIH/SIDA… Gay City ofrece la pruebas gratis, anonimas, confidenciales rapidas de 20 minutos, y tienen otros programas y colaboraciones
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Transgender people of color contingent at Pride by Bish Paul Courtesy of Trikone Northwest Pride can be the one day of the year when the public expression of sexuality and difference becomes fun and educational at the same time! We need a Queer and Transgender people of color (QTPOC) contingent to increase our visibility as a group and to work towards achieving unity and solidarity within the beautiful mosaic that is the Queer people of color community. Fabulous comes in several forms! It isn’t just the popular media’s representation of Gays as lighter-skinned, male, cis-gendered, liberated, and middle-class to affluent folk. While some of us fit snugly into that stereotype, some of us are questioning, Transgender, immigrants, refugees, undocumented, or low-income. It’s imperative to continue breaking stereotypes and demonstrating that we come from all walks of life. Historically, communities of color do not have as many “out and proud” members, which makes it tough for a child to not feel isolated growing up. It also makes it that much harder for our families to accept us since they lack understanding of what they perceive to be a “lifestyle” that is alien to their community. Even within the Queer community, the images and stories of the non-normative get overshadowed. It’s easy enough to conjure up images of Harvey Milk, but trying to name a nationally recognizable QTPOC activist leaves one stymied! QTPOC is an umbrella encompassing so many different identities, political commitments, concerns, struggles, and dreams that there is no one agenda. Different issues are a priority depending on the breadth of our identities. Marching as a contingent helps us build solidarity across all these different issues and pieces of our identities. Effective activism requires alliances between peoples and organizations, even across countries and cultures. Living in a politically liberal city with a lot of LGBT rights and protections available has empowered us. Cognizant of this privilege, we also march for all those who cannot due to hatred and persecution in our countries of origin. It does get better, but not without building alliances and education. Our contingent includes diverse groups, from Voices Rising and the Ladies First Collective, which are primarily arts organizations, to political organizations like the Asian and Pacific
Islander Safety Center and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, to groundbreaking organizations like the country’s first Asian and Pacific Islander Freedom School. The Bollywood Project will be celebrating cultures and colors by blending traditional dances with contemporary pieces – a metaphor for the blending of the cultures of our countries of origin with American culture. Sahngnoksoo, an organization of Koreans and Korean-Americans creating social change, will be providing the heady drumbeats to whose rhythm we will surge forward. So bring your family, friends, allies, dogs, signs, and your activism! March for human rights! March for dignity! March with Pride! Join our Meet and Greet (and eat) at the PreParade Breakfast at 9:30 a.m. on June 26 at the Cherry Street Coffeehouse at 1st Avenue and Seneca Street. This event is being organized by Trikone Northwest, an LGBT organization serving South Asians.
glittering continued from cover
struck again, this time zeroing in on former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty at a personal appearance in San Francisco, California. Like Gingrich, Pawlenty was glittered while at a book signing event. Two activists from CodePunk were the culprits, and as they were being led away, the pair berated Pawlenty for his conservative views on abortion and LGBT rights. The most recent incident occurred on June 18, when Rachel Lang threw glitter at GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann in Minneapolis. Bachmann was glittered after she finished a speech at a conservative conference. Lang later said she committed the act as a way to protest Bachmann’s “hateful and anti-Gay rhetoric.” The knee-jerk reaction to news of GOP candidates being covered in glitter is to laugh. After all, to see someone like Newt Gingrich, who takes himself entirely too seriously, covered in glitter – which we all know takes hours to clean off – is a sight to see. Still, after each incident, the targeted candidates had little to nothing to say in re-
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24 Seattle Gay News
June 24, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
sponse to the tactic – rendering it, for the most part, ineffective. In fact, Gingrich, barely missing a beat, simply smiled as he brushed away the glitter and said, “Nice to live in a free country,” and went on to sign – and sell – more books. The glitter throwers have not yet had charges pressed against them. But among the public, a lively debate has begun about the incidents. Some say glittering could be classified as assault. Others say it is childish and rude – or even worse. The online debate has been vile (no surprise there), with some critics wanting the perpetrators tasered and jailed. Political theater is nothing new to the Gay community. In 1991, AIDS activists put a giant condom over the home of conservative Sen. Jesse Helms. In 1978, Anita Bryant received a pie to the face at a press conference. “The Gay-rights movement has had a long and creative history of action in calling attention to something,” Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said. “I see glittering as the new pie.” Dr. Jillian T. Weiss, a contributing blogger for The Bilerico Project, reports that some conservatives are calling for violent responses to glitterers. “The conservative response is going far beyond outrage about rainbow glitter, indignity, or off-messaging,” Dr. Weiss wrote in a June 20 post. “Their calls include not
only demands for jail, but extend to calls for assault, assault with a weapon, battery with intent to commit bodily harm, ‘corrective’ rape, shooting, and hanging. On at least one website, the workplace of the glitterer has been published online, along with oblique suggestions of retaliatory violence against her.” Dr. Weiss points out that a vast majority of the calls for violence, as well as the recent actual violence, has come from the right. She cites the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the bomb planted along the MLK Day parade route in Spokane, Washington (among others) as examples. Mike Huckabee and Glenn Beck have said that the glitterers should be jailed. That is a relatively rational solution compared to the response of Beck’s followers on his website, The Blaze, which have Dr. Weiss concerned – comments such as, “This is exactly what concealed carry is for: our self-defense against these democratic deviate criminals,” and “Bust a few heads and they’ll stop.” Right-wing activist Andrew Breitbart posted the video of the glittering by Lang on his website, BreibartTV.com. Saying it’s “open season” on liberals, he published Lang’s workplace address and suggested violence against her. Some of the comments read, in part, “start taking liberals down en masse,” “The Congresswoman’s protectors should have shot and killed this liberal bitch,” and “I need to stock up on some of that hollow-point glit-
ter…(nudge-nudge, wink-wink).” Not exactly friendly stuff. The comments went on and on. MichelleMalkin.com tells people to “beat the shit out of [glitterers].” Although Malkin noted that the glitter never actually touched Rep. Bachmann, her site featured numerous comments advocating violence. “Make no mistake, this is not simply a few disgruntled, angry, and violent people, this is the conservative zeitgeist, a worldview which revels in anger about a changing world, use of law to demonize those whom they view as different – African Americans, Latinos, immigrants, Gays, the poor – and when they think no one is looking or it is somehow justified, revels in violence,” Dr. Weiss concludes. “The glitterers are exposing something much more nasty than simply
anti-Gay rhetoric. This is anti-Gay rhetoric stretched paper-thin over anti-Gay, antiimmigrant, anti-liberal violence. It is just waiting and yearning to be brought out. And make no mistake – it will come out.” This is the maelstrom into which we are all descending, regardless of how reasonable we may be. Sure, glittering is overthe-top, undignified, and even improper if it puts someone in reasonable fear of bodily harm (though that is unlikely), but violence it is not, she said. There are no indications that glittering will cease; in fact, it might ramp up as the 2012 political year approaches. Let’s just hope that both sides of the debate remain calm in their approach and that violence is not incited over something as silly as glitter.
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Seattle Gay News 25
threat
continued from cover groups.” The threats were directed at Brotman’s business and claimed they could get Healeo shut down by the city and that they would torment him through Yelp and Google.” The email, which referred to Brotman as a “fag loving Healeo owner,” read, “You and any other business taking those flags will pay a dear price. God himself will judge you however I will hurt your life before he can. Healeo will now be tormented through review sites and I will do what it takes to get you shutdown through the city of Seattle. I can get around Yelp filters and same with google. You will have so many bad reviews nobody will ever come.” The bigot then delivered Brotman an ultimatum, “I will give you until Saturday to remove any fag flags from your store and then will commence taking you down.” The email ended in a predictable fashion: “God hates fags and he hates you.” Brotman’s immediate reaction to the threats was panic. “My business means everything to me, so when it was threatened, I
only slept a few uncomfortable hours over the next few days,” he told SGN. “Whenever there is a customer complaint or I don’t see someone for a while, I take it personally, so you can imagine how scared I was of an impending barrage of negative reviews and god knows what else.” The hateful email was directed at Brotman and his business in response to his support of Pride weekend and the Seattle Gay News’ A Flag on Every Corner project. Brotman made a commitment to buy a Pride flag for any business that wanted one. When he had a number of flags left over, he extended the offer to everyone. The response was so great that he had to buy more flags for the giveaway. “After receiving the email, I immediately stopped promoting the Pride flag giveaway out of fear,” said Brotman. “It was a horrible feeling to know they had beat me, but I was just scared. If Healeo was to be attacked by these people from the anonymous world of the internet, I would have no defense.” After some time of reflection Brotman says he felt disappointed in himself for “failing to stand up to the pressure of the anti-Gay movement.” “Honestly, I felt that I had let myself and
the community down. It’s the kind of thing that any person would regret later in life if they didn’t do the right thing,” he said. “It is now obvious to me that the love and support of our community will overpower hate and intolerance every time, so the promotion is back on.” “I also thought about what my own father, who founded a large company and is a public figure, would have done and determined he would put himself at risk and stand up to voice support to combat any form of discrimination,” he continued. “This motivated me to re-start our Pride flag giveaway in time for the weekend!” Brotman posted on the Healeo Facebook page: “Last week in response to our Pride Flag giveaway we received a hatefilled email threatening the store if we did not cease the giveaway. I admittedly got spooked and went silent to protect the business, which was a mistake. I should have stood up and promoted it even harder. So after much consideration I will share the email to raise awareness that hate and intolerance continues to be prevalent.” “P.S. I just bought another box of flags to redeem myself for not standing up, so come and get them.” Brotman, who is not Gay, told SGN he is “just incredibly passionate about the rights of all people who are discriminated against. It’s probably in my genes as a Jewish person, but issues such as Gay marriage have ignited a passion inside me to be angry and make a difference against all discrimination.”
For Brotman, Pride month is a time for everyone to celebrate. “Pride may have a different meaning to me than others as I don’t personally feel it is solely a Gay issue,” he said. “To me, it is an issue of our rights as human beings and is no different then our country’s rich history of struggles by black or female individuals. No matter who you are, if you are discriminated against, I would be thinking of how to help.” Brotman says there is a lesson in all of this. “I would like to remind SGN readers that outside of our blissful Capitol Hill bubble, there is still major injustice and a lack of tolerance for our differences as human beings,” he said. “As someone who was born on Broadway and lives and works on Capitol Hill, I understand how easy it is to slip into a false sense of security amongst our incredibly progressive and wonderful neighbors. I hope everyone will be extra aware to keep spreading awareness and never stop.” The Healeo business owner proved, through his actions, that he practices what he preaches. Aside from starting the Pride flag giveaway again, he called the Seattle Police Department to make a report and brought the matter to the attention of a “prominent civil rights figure” who Brotman says is “handling the issue.” Seattle Police Department Detective Mark Jamieson told SGN that Brotman did the right thing. “Any time a person or business is threatened or harassed it is important that they contact the police. Threats and harassment are a crime.”
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www.sgn.org 26 Seattle Gay News
June 24, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
If the threats are done in person and seem violent, Jamieson recommends calling 911. Still, he says, “Any form of harassment needs to be reported. If it is written communication you could call the non-emergency line at (206) 625-5011, or flag down an officer, or visit a precinct. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just make sure you report it.”
the poor and minorities whose lives are being messed up.” Drawing on her work with the ACLU and over a decade of state and federal litigation experience, Holcomb broached the topic from the perspective of social justice. “The ‘War on Drugs,’ which comes on the heels of the Civil Rights movement, has become the new Jim Crow,” she said, referring to the state and local laws that legislated “separate but equal” white privileges from 1876 continued from cover to 1965. “We have the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world,” said Holof harm [from smoking marijuana] exists,” comb. In addition to populations of color, and went on to mention the sociological ef- she also noted that this is a “community inifects of the criminalization of marijuana, tiative” that positively impacts the LGBTQ touching on incarceration and the spread community, youths, HIV/ AIDS patients, of HIV/AIDS throughout communities of terminally ill citizens, and other demographcolor, predominantly the African-American ics that are more likely to be drug enforcecommunity. ment targets given their life situations. Travel writer Rick Steves gave a transna- Recognizing the massive state expenditional perspective to the panel, citing cases ture in the war against cannabis, the prison where countries benefit from responsible industrial complex, and race discrimination, legalization. “Europe is also driven by fis- Holcomb said these social costs to taxpayers cal responsibility – they save a lot of money would decrease while state revenue would by treating this as a health issue rather than increase through the regulated sales of cana criminal issue.” He cited the case of the nabis. However, Holcomb also recognized decriminalization of all drugs in Portugal, that approval at the state level did not mean and also gave examples in Spain and the approval at the federal level. Residents Netherlands where marijuana is effectively would be free to buy but not grow cannaregulated and contributes to the economy. bis, and highway patrols could stop and test Steves moreover noted that U.S. prohibition drivers for being under the influence (since of alcohol (1919-1933) escalated violence driving on the freeway implies consent, rewhile feeding organized crime rings. fusing to take the test can lead to a suspendHe paralleled prohibition of alcohol to the ed license). When asked about state polls, prohibition of marijuana, which was insti- Holcomb concluded that a majority of state tuted by the 1937 passage of the Marijua- residents (53-54%) support the initiative. na Tax Act after the FBI led a widespread State Senator Ed Murray (D-43rd Dispropaganda campaign against cannabis. In trict), though absent from the panel, excluresponse to the argument that “pot is a gate- sively told SGN, “It is a common sense proway drug” leading to others, Steves stated, posal. I support it, but more importantly it “The only thing ‘gateway’ about marijuana has support across the political spectrum.” is illegality.” He asserted that “speaking out The campaign has until December 30 to is our civic duty,” and urged state voters to gather 241,153 signatures to qualify for the “take the lead in getting our country out of ballot. Once the signatures are filed, the legthis wrong-minded, very costly war on mar- islature will consider the initiative during ijuana.” Before concluding, he disclosed his the 2012 session. If the legislature takes no personal stake in the proposal: “I care about action, the proposal will be put to state vot-
cannAbis
ers in the November 2012 general election.
jones
continued from cover gagements. “UNITE HERE is an amazing example of a fighting union,” he said. “Now – with attacks on collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin and everything else that’s going on –America needs a fighting labor movement more than ever.” Four years ago, UNITE HERE Local 8 won a breakthrough victory in their Westin Hotel contract – the first hotel contract in the country to explicitly protect Transgender workers from on-the-job discrimination. UNITE HERE’s National Executive Committee has also endorsed marriage equality, and Local 8 endorsed domestic partnership rights in the Referendum 71 campaign. Jones says that building a close working relationship between the LGBT community and the labor movement is his main goal. “I want to strengthen the bonds between our community and organized labor,” he told SGN, “because that will strengthen the larger movement for social justice. “I just got out of a training I’m doing in San Francisco with a couple of dozen young union members, and when we get done I’m going to catch a train to another meeting. I plan to work most of the summer on coalition building.” Jones noted that many LGBT rights organizations do not apply their progressive politics in a consistent way, failing to book union venues for their events, for example. “If you care about this country, and we have so many challenges, no matter what your issue is – LGBT issues, or choice, or the environment, or public education – whatever your issue is, you’re not going to win without the unions.” Jones challenged LGBT organizations to “wake up and understand that solidarity is
the single most important thing. Sometimes it’s inconvenient, but that doesn’t change the reality.” “I was in Palm Springs after the Prop 8 election,” he added, “and there were all these middle class white Gays complaining, ‘So many Latinos voted against us.’ So I asked them, ‘What have you done? What have you done to build relationships with the Latino community?” but I already knew the answer. Nothing. They did nothing. “If you want a good example of how to engage the immigrant community and the communities of color, look at my union,” Jones concluded. UNITE HERE represents large concentrations of immigrant workers and native-born people of color as well as LGBT workers. Their 2007 Westin contract included broad new protections for immigrant workers as well as Trans workers. Asked if he remained optimistic about winning equality, Jones sighed. “These are hard times, and I don’t want to be Pollyana,” he said. “I’m required to be hopeful, but I’m very frightened for my country and the planet.” Speaking about the Obama administration, Jones expressed both appreciation and criticism – appreciation for the advances made under President Obama’s watch, and criticism for the slow pace of change. “Well, I’m frustrated with the administration,” he said. “I supported the president in 2008, and I will support him and campaign for him. But I’m frustrated. “I went to the White House with a group of long-term survivors of HIV, for a meeting with the people leading the White House response. And I looked at their faces, and they look like our friends. … They were all Gay, all African-American, and all HIV-positive. That’s light years ahead of where the last administration was, and light years ahead of any of his Republican opponents. “Except maybe Fred Karger,” he chuckled as he signed off to catch his train.
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June 24, 2011
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