Issue 10 Volume 40
Celebrating 39 Years!
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aNTI-BULLYING p. 6
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
OUR PERSONAL STORIES Seattle University students
build marriage equality disagree with president’s across the U.S.A.
personal stories of love, commitment, and struggle. As it turns out, his assumption – when we, as individuals and as a community, share with others how marriage equality would greatly improve the lives of LGBT people see stories page 17
see Students page 17
courtesy USF
courtesy george takei
Josh Friedes, marriage equality director for Equal Rights Washington, has spent the better part of a decade asking you to share with friends, family, coworkers – really anybody who would listen – your
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Father Stephen V. Sundborg, president of Seattle University, angered students who attend the school after he made a statement in the Seattle Times about the state’s marriage equality bill. Several student organizations, comprising both LGBT and allied members, sent a letter to Sundborg disapproving of his views on the samesex marriage legislation and requesting to meet with him. Sundborg was interviewed by the Times regarding a proposed amendment to the Washington state marriage equality bill that would exempt religiously affiliated schools like Gonzaga and Seattle University from having to accommodate same-sex weddings in their chapels. Sundborg said the amendment protects “us from having to make
Actor George Takei from his video addressing the anti-LGBT issues before the Tennessee legislature
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
view on marriage equality
Seattle University President Father Stephen V. Sundborg
United Food & Commercial Catholic bishops in Workers union invests in WA undecided on Approve Ref. 74 campaign approaching Ref. 74
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 21 has contributed $15,000 to Washington United for Marriage to help with the Approve Referendum 74 campaign if and when it comes to the November ballot. UFCW 21 is also housing Washington United for Marriage in its Georgetown union hall. With 38,000 members in the grocery, food processing, and related industries, UFCW 21 is the state’s largest private-sector union. “We unanimously voted to give
the money,” UFCW 21 Executive Board member Rachel Marcotte told SGN, “because we, as a union, have always supported civil rights and equality – for everybody. We want to carry that message through in our political agenda.” Like almost all UFCW 21’s Executive Board, Marcotte is a rankand-file member who works at PCC’s Edmonds store. Asked if she had experienced any pushback from other members who object to their union’s support for same-sex marriage, Marcotte said she had not. “At PCC, there are not that many super-ultra-conservative mem-
bers,” she said. “This is not a new issue to our union,” UFCW 21 Political Director Sarah Cherin added, noting that Local 21 had played a major role in the Referendum 71 campaign to defend domestic partnership rights. UFCW 21 also includes domestic partnership benefits in their labor agreements with employers, Marcotte added. “In our contract [at PCC] we have domestic partnership benefits, but there’s a fee for medical see UFCW page 21
Troy R. Bennett / bangor daily news
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Washington’s Catholic bishops have not yet decided how aggressively to campaign against marriage equality if Referendum 74 qualifies for the November ballot, a spokesperson for the Seattle archdiocese said on March 6. “The bishops of Washington state have not yet determined their level of involvement in the ReferenMaine Bishop Richard Malone dum 74 campaign,” archdiocese spokesman Greg Ma- church channels about the church’s teaching on marriage between a gnoni told SGN in an email. Magnoni was replying to ques- man and a woman. On March 2 Malone issued a 24tions about a statement by Maine Bishop Richard Malone, that his page “pastoral letter” explaining diocese will not put resources the church’s position on marriage. The document was intended for into a public campaign against the state’s upcoming referendum on Maine’s estimated 185,000 Catholics, not the state’s electorate as a marriage equality. Instead, Malone said, the diocese will focus on “pastoral care” – talking to parishioners through see bishops page 20
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Classifieds - Thursday at noon Calendar - Tuesday 6pm Display Ads: Space Reservation - Monday 5pm Ad copy (non-camera ready) - Tues. 5pm Ad copy (camera ready) - Wed. 5pm Letters to the Editor - Tuesday 5pm Obituaries - Call the Sgn office All others - Tuesday 5pm
Editor In Chief George Bakan Associate Editor Shaun Knittel Editorial Assistant Nick Ardizzone Production William Creswell Calender Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Travel Editor George Bakan Advertising Manager Marty Weisbrod Advertising Department Maggie Bloodstone Executive Assistant Mike Andrew Staff Writers George Bakan, Albert S. Rodriguez, Nick Ardizzone, Shaun Knittel, Miryam Gordon, Anthony Greer Contributing Writers
Rev. Barbara Allen, Mike Andrew, Eric Andrews-Katz, Madelyn Arnold, Maggie Bloodstone, Beau Burriola, Jessica Davis, Ron Anders, Jessica Price, Milton W. Hamlin, Scott Wittet, Nevin Jefferson, Jason A. Miller, Liz Meyer, Rod Parke, Don Paulson, Scott Rice, Leslie Robinson, Richard Kennedy, Rex Wockner
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Publication of names, photographs or likenesses of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your subscription or ad. However, credit towards any size ad will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
Nat’l Hockey League, “You Can Play” fighting homophobia in sports by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor On March 7, the National Hockey League (NHL) launched the You Can Play Project, an aggressive advocacy program to change the sometimes-homophobic culture in sports with a message that athletes should be judged on their athletic skill and ability, not sexual orientation or other discriminatory factors. A number of NHL players immediately signed on as public supporters. A large number of highprofile NHL players, including several All-Stars, filmed public service announcements (PSAs) in support of You Can Play. The first PSA aired during the first intermission of the March 7 NBC Sports broadcast of the game between the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. All the videos can be found at www.YouCanPlayProject.org, which also will serve as a resource for straight and Gay athletes,
coaches, and fans. “The goals for You Can Play are clear,” according to co-founder Patrick Burke. “We want to make locker rooms safe for all athletes, rather than places of fear, slurs, and bullying. The casual homophobia in sports has to change, so all athletes know that what counts is whether you can play the game.” Burke, a scout for the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, has been a straight ally in sports since his younger brother Brendan came out as Gay while manager of the Miami University ice hockey team. Brendan’s story became national news because of his closeness to the NHL and took on deeper meaning when he was killed in a 2010 car accident. Burke’s father, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, has joined Patrick in filming a PSA in support of You Can Play. “The hockey community united behind Brendan because he loved the game, and that’s what matters. The NHL players step-
ping forward to support You Can Play know that creating a homophobia-free environment will make their teams and the sport are better,” Patrick Burke continued. “It’s important for straight athletes at all levels to step up and let Gay athletes know they will be accepted, and to let other straight athletes know that homophobic language and attitudes are never appropriate. This project is a combined effort of Gay and straight athletes and fans, but the message is largely for straight audiences.” “The Burke family is very proud to carry on Brendan’s legacy by working to ensure that LGBT athletes, coaches, and fans around the world are treated with respect by the sports world,” said Brian Burke, general manager of the Maple Leafs. “The You Can Play project will serve as a tremendous resource for the sports community by providing them with the tools needed to create safe arenas. I continue to be incredibly grateful to the NHL community for rallying around our cause and standing up for equality, and I look forward to seeing other leagues do the same. It has become abundantly clear to me that NHL players, coaches, and management agree completely with our ideals: talent matters, sexual orientation does not. If you can play, You Can Play.” More than 30 NHL players have volunteered to support the program. It is their hope that You Can Play will extend beyond hockey, encompassing all sports, athletes, and fans. According to news reports, the organization is in active discussions with officials and players in several other sports leagues. “Casual homophobia doesn’t belong in any sports setting, whether in the locker room or in the stands. You Can Play will help to change the behavior and acceptance of fans,” said co-founder Brian Kitts, who has spent more than ten years in the front offices of professional hockey, basketball, lacrosse and soccer teams. “Most fans care about exciting games, great performances and wins, not whether a player is Gay or straight. Fans need to send the message to other fans that sexual orientation just doesn’t matter.”
In Loving Memory Of
Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold
4
Seattle Gay News
March 9, 2012
Celebrating 39 Years!
Gay City Wellness Center celebrates eight years, 16,000 visits by Robert Roth of Gay City Health Project Special to SGN
Washington United for Marriage’s 11-city tour of Washington ingham, Edmonds, Olympia, Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, and Yakima. The following dates and locations are still available for you to attend: Seattle March 10, 10 a.m. UFCW Local 21, Joe Crump Hall 5030 1st Ave. S. Spokane March 10, 10 a.m. Spokane Falls Community College Building 24, Room 110 3410 W. Fort Wright Dr. Whidbey Island March 12, 6:30 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island (UUCWI) 20103 State Route 525 (two miles north of Freeland)
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Washington United for Marriage, the coalition of organizations, congregations, unions, and businesses working together to secure civil marriage for loving, committed, same-sex couples, has hit the road for an 11city tour around the state. “We will be making an 11-city tour to celebrate our wins thus far and to begin the next phase of work to organize and educate communities about the campaign and marriage equality,” said Washington United for Marriage officials. “These meetings will include updates from campaign staff and specific asks from the field team relating to voter outreach and volunteering.” So far, Washington United for Marriage held town-hall meetings in Kirkland, Bell-
“We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together,” said officials. “We believe in a Washington that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters.” Also this week, the organization announced the March 8 launch of their new website, www.washingtonunitedformar-
courtesy gay city
Gay City Health Project is proud to announce that the Gay City Wellness Center has welcomed more than 16,000 visitors since first opening its Broadway storefront location in 2004. For the past eight years, the Gay City Wellness Center has been a safe and welcoming place where Gay, Bi, and Trans men can get a free, anonymous, or confidential HIV or STI screening. “When Seattle Gay Clinic approached us in 2004 with the idea of taking over their services, we did not hesitate,” said Gay City Executive Director Fred Swanson. “We’re so proud of the legacy they shared with us, and of the incredible efforts of all of the men and women involved with Gay City over these past eight years of the Wellness Center.” Gay City has grown into King County’s leading provider of free HIV/STI testing and counseling for Gay, Bi, and Trans men who have sex with men. Where clients once numbered in the hundreds per year, they now number in the thousands. Gay City
continues to reach historically marginalized, underserved, or high risk populations: 40% of those tested last year were men of color, 41% were age 30 or under, 11% tested for the first time, and over one-third were uninsured. In response to the Wellness Center’s continued growth, Gay City recently expanded testing hours to Mondays. Free HIV and STI screenings are now available in English or Spanish six days per week, Monday through Saturday. In addition, Gay City’s expansion program, Project BuildOUT, includes the construction of a larger Wellness Center and the possibility of adding other health services provided by Gay City or other LGBT community health partners. For more information about Gay City Health Project, visit them online at gaycity. org. Gay City Health Project is a multicultural Gay men’s health organization and the leading provider of HIV and STI testing in King County. Our mission is to promote the health of Gay and Bisexual men and prevent HIV transmission by building community, fostering communication, and nurturing self-esteem. riage.org. “This is the online home for our campaign, where you’ll be able to find all the essential information about our efforts to defend marriage equality in Washington, so that we can secure civil marriage for all loving, committed couples,” Washington United for Marriage Campaign Manager Zach Silk said. “Our new website is just the start,” he continued. “By working together, we passed landmark legislation that made marriage
equality in Washington a reality. But our opponents will work hard to put our historic achievement up for a vote in November.” “WashingtonUnitedForMarriage.org will be essential to keeping our strong community informed with the latest updates and opportunities to make sure we succeed,” he concluded. “Please take a moment to check out our new website – and then share with your friends and family!”
UNUSUAL RISE IN HEROIN OVERDOSE DEATHS OVER WEEKEND Heroin injectors warned of danger Courtesy of King County Public Health Since Saturday, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified seven likely overdose deaths from heroin, possibly due to an increased potency of the drug or mixture with other substances. This is a notable and rapid rise in deaths; King County saw 32 heroin overdose deaths in total over the first six months of 2011. Because of this sudden increase in deaths, health officials are issuing a public alert about the overdose danger. We are working with partners to analyze the heroin and identify possible reasons for the sudden increase in deaths. “The best way for injection drug users to prevent overdose is not to use heroin, but for those who do, they need to be aware of the overdose risks,” said Dr. Charissa Fotinos, Medical Director for Public Health – Seattle & King County. Key ways to reduce the risk of overdose include: • Never inject when you’re alone • If you got heroin from someone new or it looks different, use less. • Don’t use heroin in combination with other “downers” such as benzodiazepines (i.e. benzos), alcohol or prescription-type opiates such as OxyContin or methadone. It is also dangerous to use with stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
The seven who likely died from overdose were from areas across King County, ranged in age from 17-61 years of age, and included both experienced and inexperienced users. If someone is with a person who is overdosing on heroin, they can help by immediately calling 911. The Washington state Good Samaritan law took effect in 2010 and provides immunity from criminal charges of drug possession for both the witness and the person experiencing the overdose. The new law also expands access to Narcan (generic name naloxone), an opiate antagonist that reverses the effect of overdose from heroin and other opiates. Public Health – Seattle & King County has recently initiated a Narcan program at its Downtown Seattle needle exchange to dispense Narcan to heroin users and train them on how to use it in an emergency. For more information on the Good Samaritan law, see http://stopoverdose.org/index.html Public Health is also working with community partners to alert members of the public who use heroin that there appears to be an increased risk of death from using heroin currently being sold. Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.9 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day. More at www.kingcounty.gov/health.
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March 9, 2012
Seattle Gay News
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Delaware Governor Jack Markell believes marriage equality is “inevitable” in his state. “I think it’s inevitable,” Markell said in an interview with Reuters Insider TV. He added that he expects Delaware’s legislature to take up marriage legislation “probably within the next few years.” In the interview, Markell also noted that until three years ago it was legal in Delaware “to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation,” and said the state was moving towards greater acceptance of LGBT people. Markell, a Democrat, has been governor of Delaware since 2009. He signed Delaware’s civil unions law on May 11, 2011. The law took effect on January 1. Markell also signed the 2009 law prohibiting discrimination in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation. At that time, Markell issued an executive order protecting state employees from discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Delaware’s civil union law passed by comfortable majorities in both houses of the
state legislature. Currently Democrats enjoy a 14-7 majority in the Delaware Senate and a 26-15 majority in the House. Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, and the District of Columbia now allow same-sex marriage. Washington’s new marriage equality law will take effect in June unless Referendum 74 qualifies for the November ballot. Then it will be up to voters to approve or reject it. Maryland’s marriage law takes effect in January 2013 unless it is overturned by a threatened referendum in November. An initiative to legalize same-sex marriages has qualified for the November ballot in Maine. If successful, it would restore marriage equality, which Maine voters repealed in 2009. Earlier this year, the New Jersey state legislature voted for marriage equality, but the measure was vetoed by Republican governor and vice presidential hopeful Chris Christie. Marriage equality will be restored in California – where it was reversed by Prop 8 – if courts ultimately uphold federal judge Vaughn Walker’s decision that the measure is unconstitutional.
EVAN VUCCI / Associated Press
Delaware governor says marriage equality is “inevitable”
Delaware Governor Jack Markell
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Minnesota’s Anoka-Hennepin School District – the state’s largest – announced March 6 that it had concluded a deal with the federal government to prevent anti-Gay bullying in its schools. The agreement also settles lawsuits brought by six students who had been targeted by bullies. Under the new agreement, the district will strengthen measures to prevent, detect, and punish bullying based on gender or sexual orientation; hire a full-time “harassment prevention” official; bolster mental health counseling; and identify harassment “hot spots” on the campuses of middle and high schools. The six students who sued the district will receive a total payment of $270,000. After the school board approved the agreement in a 5-1 vote, Dennis Carlson, the district superintendent, claimed that the district had always fought bullying but
called the decree “a positive statement of the continuing effort to ensure a welcoming environment for all students and families.” According to the agreement, which must be signed by a federal judge, the federal departments of Justice and Education will monitor the district’s compliance for five years. Federal officials praised the agreement in a March 6 conference call in Washington. Thomas E. Perez, U.S. assistant attorney general for civil rights, said he hoped the agreement would serve as a model for other schools. The Justice and Education departments began investigating the district, which serves 39,000 students, in November 2010 after receiving complaints of an unsafe environment for LGBT students. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Center for Lesbian Rights sued the district in July 2011 on behalf of six students who alleged they were subjected to repeated harassment which went unchecked by school officials. Federal officials, lawyers for the students, and members of the school board met repeatedly over the last six months to hammer out the legal agreement. The controversy resulted from the school district’s attempts to navigate the complex problem of how public schools should address the needs of LGBT students. While progressives urged the district to support sexual and gender diversity, conservative Christian groups argued that protecting sexual orientation and gender identity, or teaching tolerance of same-sex relationships, amounted to endorsing sinful practices.
AP Photo/Dawn Villella
Minnesota school district in landmark anti-bullying agreement
Minnesota’s Anoka-Hennepin School District Superintendent Dennis Carlson
In response to conflicting pressures, Anoka-Hennepin officials devised a compromise policy, directing teachers to remain neutral on any questions involving sexual orientation. Some teachers said that this hampered their ability to support LGBT students and that the overall climate was still hostile. That hostile climate, in turn, led to the federal investigation and the suit by the six students. Last month, the district rescinded its neutrality policy and directed district personnel to “affirm the dignity and self-worth of students” regardless of race, sexual orientation, disabilities, or other factors. At a March 6 news conference, one of the plaintiffs, 15-year-old Kyle Rooker, recalled that other students called him names, shoved him, and at one point urinated on
him because he was openly Gay. He used to hide under the seat of the school bus to avoid going into school, he said. “I’m glad that kids coming up behind me won’t have to suffer the way I did,” he said, adding, “If we were all alike, this would be a very boring place.” The conservative Parents Action League, formed to support the school district’s “neutrality” policy, called the agreement a “travesty.” The lawsuit was meant to “abolish conservative moral beliefs about homosexuality,” League spokesperson Laurie Thompson told The Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Making schools safe for ‘Gay’ kids means indoctrinating impressionable, young minds with homosexual propaganda.”
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Seattle Gay News
March 9, 2012
Celebrating 39 Years!
NORTHWEST
NEWS
compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
“DINA MARTINA: AMPLE WATTAGE!” In springtime, a young man’s fancy turns to Dina Martina. OK, maybe not, but it does turn to things exciting and new – like the ALL NEW show, “Dina Martina: Ample Wattage,” now playing at Re-bar (1114 Howell St.) brimming with new songs, new stories, new costumes, new audience gifts, and brand new video! Like all of Miss Martina’s shows, this new show will also be brimming with (as The Village Voice says) “comedy that’ll make you piss your pants!” Get your tickets now and see why, over the years, Dina Martina has been the recipient of countless awards and suggestions! Show dates: Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m.: 3/9 only (no show 3/10), 3/16-17, (no shows 3/23-3/24), 3/30-3/31, 4/6-4/7, 4/13-4/14. Bloody Mary/Mimosa Matinee Sundays at 2 p.m.: 3/11, (no show 3/18), 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22. Tickets are $20 advance ($25 at the door) through www.brownpapertickets. com/event/218811. SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – JACK HOLMES AND HIS FRIEND The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday, at 6 p.m., at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). March selection is Edmund White’s new novel, Jack Holmes and His Friend, about a Gay/straight friendship that lasts a lifetime. One half of the book is told by the Gay character. One half of the book is told by the straight character. The reader is plunged into the characters’ sex lives, their crises, their affairs, their quarrels, their lies. The writing is of the highest quality. For discount on cost of book, email Nick. All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. For more information, email nickdimartin@earthlink. net, visit http://faculty.washington.edu/ switter/SGLBookClub/ or contact SASG at 206-322-2437; www.sasgcc.org. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION On Saturday, March 10, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., at Westlake Park (401 Pine St.), the Gender Equaltiy Caucus of Occupy Seattle presents an International Women’s Day Rally in solidarity with women and their struggles across the globe, featuring speakers, music, poetry, a speak-out and arts. For more information, email occupytgenderequality@gmail.com. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION – “CULTURE, ACTION, SOLIDARITY” On Saturday, March 10, from 2-8 p.m., at the Asian Counseling and Referral Service building (3639 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way S.), a broad coalition of women’s groups and individuals come together to present a truly international celebration of our diverse women’s community. “Culture, Action, Solidarity” will highlight the struggles and achievements of women locally and internationally. This year’s celebration begins with an afternoon of workshops, from 2-4:30 p.m., exploring issues women are confronting worldwide. Childcare will be available. At 5 p.m., the international women of Seattle will take the stage in a narrated fashion show of traditional dress. Other entertainment will include the International Women Drummers, Muluu, who will perform and teach Ethiopian dance; the French vocals of Fathia Atallah; Marla S. Nonken on keyboards; and the songs and music of Jacque Larrainzar. At 6 p.m., a multi-cultural dinner will be served and five International Women’s Day awards for grassroots activism will be presented to five local women who have devoted their energy to progressive social change. All parts of this event are FREE and wheelchair accessible. ASL interpretation will be provided.
BLUESTREET JAZZ VOICES 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT On Saturday, March 10, at 8 p.m., at Broadway Performance Hall (Broadway & E. Pine St.), BlueStreet celebrates their 10th anniversary with a concert of their most popular arrangements, to thank their loyal fans for a decade of memorable performances. Remember the Andrew Sisters? The Temptations? BlueStreet brings those harmony styles alive onstage as well as jazz, big band swing, blues, gospel and even some pop. If you’ve never seen this group perform, you’ll understand what the fuss is about, once you hear their luscious natural blend and balanced harmonies. This special celebration even includes a FREE trip to an enormous chocolate dessert buffet at intermission, with soft drinks, wine and beer available for purchase before the show and at intermission. Tickets: $20-general; $15-seniors 65+, $12-students with ID, at www.brownpapertickets.com/226053 or by phone at 206-361-5726. www.bluestreetvoices.com. SISTAH SINEMA – “SHE WASN’T LAST NIGHT” On Saturday, March 10, door at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., at Chao Bar & Bistro (1200 E. Pike St.), Sistah Sinema presents a screening of “She Wasn’t Last Night,” with creator Darice Jones live. “She Wasn’t Last Night” is a tale about beautiful activist Shantel Crockett who is slammed when her relationship with young Reyna begins to crumble. As Reyna’s dance career goes nowhere, she flounders for something to hold on to. To make matters worse, charming player Jack (Jaqueline) is determined to make Reyna hers … if only for one night. Shantel is forced to face Reyna’s despair and decide what kind of life she wants for herself. Tickets: $10 advance, $15 at the door. www.sistahsinema.com. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION – “VOICES OF THE NEW FEMINIST UPRISING” On Sunday, March 11, at 3 p.m., at New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.), hear activists discuss how grassroots women are fighting for equality, radical alternatives to politics as usual, and economic justice from U.S. streets to the Middle East. International brunch served at 1:30 p.m. for a $9 donation. Door donation $2. For info, rides or childcare, call 206-722-6057 or email RWseattle@mindspring.com. Wheelchair accessible. Everyone welcome. Sponsored by Radical Women. SEATTLE PINBALL MUSEUM – “PINBALL WIZARD” AND OTHER LEGENDAY HITS FROM THE WHO’S TOMMY On Sunday, March 11, at 6 p.m., the Seattle Pinball Museum (508 Maynard Ave. S., in Seattle’s International District), presents live performances of “Pinball Wizard” and other legendary hits from the electrifying rock opera, The Who’s Tommy, featuring performers from the Burien Little Theatre’s current production of the rock opera. Tickets: $10. Forty-plus vintage pinball machines will be set up to play at no charge as part of the admission price. For information on Burien Little Theatre’s production, call 206-242-5180 or visit www.burienlittletheatre.org POZ SEATTLE – ST. PATTY’S SOCIAL On Wednesday, March 14, from 6-8 p.m., at The Cuff Complex (13th Ave. & E. Pine St.), POZSeattle will host their “St. Patty’s Social.” Meet in the downstairs bar for light snacks, socializing, catching-up with old friends, making new ones, and a whole lot of fun – with grilled corned beef/reuben sandwiches and home-made sauerkraut included. There will also be an optional trivia contest for those interested. The event is free (except for the cost of beverages) and is open
Visit us online www.sgn.org
to all HIV-Positive men and their friends, free admission from 5-8 p.m. Admission: $10-adults, $8-students, military, seniors regardless of age, shape, size or color. 65+, $25-family rate (2 adults and up to www.pozseattle.org. four children under 18), children 5 & under free. For bus riders, the museum is accessi“WINDS OF HEAVEN: ble from Seattle by Sound Transit bus lines EMILY CARR, CARVERS & #594 and #586. THE SPIRITS OF THE FOREST” On Thursday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m., at SEATTLE CENTER FESTAL – New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.), IRISH FESTIVAL Radical Women presents “Winds of HeavMARCH 17-18 en: Emily Carr, Carvers & The Spirits of On Saturday, March 17, from 10 a.m.-6 the Forest,” a documentary on the life and work of Canadian artist Emily Carr (1871- p.m., and Sunday, March 18, from 12 noon1945), who was inspired by the carvings of 6 p.m., at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall First Nations people and the wild places of (Mercer St. at 2nd Ave., next to McCaw British Columbia. The 90-minute film also Hall), the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle critiques Canada’s attempts to assimilate presents Irish Week Festival. Explore and Native peoples and eradicate their culture experience the cultural roots and contempoduring Carr’s time. $2 door donation. Din- rary influences of Ireland through the perner served at 6:30 p.m. for $8 donation. For formances, visual arts, hands-on activities, more information, rides or childcare, call foods, games, and a lively marketplace. Fes206-722-6057 or email rwseattle@mind- tival-goers may trace their roots in genealspring.com. Everyone welcome. Wheel- ogy workshops, learn the Irish language and chair accessible. www.RadicalWomen.org. take in colorful exhibits and contemporary Irish short films at this free festival. www. irishclub.org; www.irishreels.org. MOISTURE FESTIVAL MARCH 15-APRIL 8 JAPANESE CULTURAL & Comedy/Variete/Burlesque. COMMUNITY CENTER OF WA www.moisturefestival.org OPEN HOUSE & 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION SEATTLE LGBT COMMISSION – MARCH 17-18 AN EVENING WITH ISRAELI On Saturday, March 17, and Sunday, LGBTQ COMMUNITY LEADERS On Friday, March 16, from 4:30-6:30 March 18, from 12 noon-4 p.m., the Japap.m., at City Hall (600 4th Ave., Room 370), nese Cultural & Community Center of join Seattle LGBT Commissioners for an Washington (1414 S. Weller St., just south evening with leaders of Israel’s three lead- of S. Jackson St. off Rainier Ave. S.) hosts a ing LGBTQ organizations, the Alliance of special Open House and 100th Anniversary Israeli LGBTQ Educational Organizations. Celebration. The Issei legacy site has been a valuable The three leaders are joining forces in an historic partnership to work on education, home providing cultural education and comyouth, and families. They are on a two week munity support for what will be 100 years tour of the West Coast to share the innova- this March. Through the Japanese Cultural tive work they are doing in Israel, learn from & Community Center of Washington (JCtheir counterparts in the U.S., and build rela- CCW) and the Seattle Japanese Language tionships for future collaboration. The Com- School, the site has a history of educating mission is delighted to have this opportunity and touching the lives of thousands of stuto meet with them and to share information dents, in addition to serving as a temporary home for the Japanese American commuand ideas. nity. From 1945 through 1957, desks at the school’s Issei legacy site were replaced by 20TH ANNUAL beds to accommodate individuals and famiWASHINGTON STATE lies returning from World War II relocation LEATHER PRIDE WEEK centers. MARCH 16-25 On March 17 and 18, a few of these former For details on Washington State Leather residents will be brought together by the JCPride week, visit www.wsmlo.org. Washington State Mr. & Ms. Leather Con- CCW and the Japanese Language School at test 2012: On Friday, March 23, from 8:30- the Issei legacy site as part of a celebration 10 p.m., Doghouse Leathers (1312 E. Pike and open house marking its 100th anniverSt.) hosts the contest’s annual Meet & Greet. sary, as well as the completion of Phase 1 On Saturday, March 24, at 7 p.m., The Cuff renovations made to the site this past fall. Complex (13th Ave. & E. Pine St.), hosts The $1.3 million project aims to preserve the Mr. & Ms. Leather Contest 2012 in the the historical integrity and heritage of the downstairs dance bar. On Sunday, March buildings while modernizing the structures, 25, at 11:30 a.m., C.C. Attle’s (1701 E. Ol- in order to provide a community center not ive Way) hosts the Emerald Awards and Vic- only for Japanese and Japanese Americans, but for the entire Pacific NW region for tory Brunch. www.wsmlo.org. years to come. The public is invited to attend the free TACOMA ART MUSEUM – two-day event to take part in the celebration. “HIDE/SEEK: DIFFERENCE The Open House will include live taiko and AND DESIRE IN karate performances, the opening of the NW AMERICAN PORTRAITURE” Nikkei Museum’s new exhibit showcasMARCH 17-JUNE 10 The Tacoma Art Museum (1701 Pacific ing arts and crafts created in incarceration Ave., Tacoma) presents the groundbreaking camps during World War II entitled “Art exhibit, “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire Behind Barbed Wire,” and many cultural in American Portraiture,” that debuted at activities throughout the site. In addition, a dedication ceremony will the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in 2010 and is the first major exhibition to take place on Sunday, March 18, from noonaddress the question of how gender iden- 1 p.m., to honor those who contributed to tity and sexual orientation have shaped the the renovation project. For more information, call 206-568-7114 creation of modern American portraiture. “Hide/Seek” offers an unprecedented sur- or visit www.jcccw.org. vey of nearly 150 years of American art and SEATTLE GIRLS OF LEATHER includes more than 100 works by masters LEATHER LEPRECHAUN EVENT including Thomas Eakins, John Singer SarOn Saturday, March 17, from 7:30 p.m.gent, Georgia O’Keefe, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and more. The exhibit was co-cu- 2 a.m., Seattle girls of Leather brings their rated by noted Gay historian, Jonathan Katz, shenanigans to The Garage (1130 Broadway). SgoL hopes you’ll join them for this and Smithsonian curator, David Ward. The exhibit will include special events very special holiday invasion event. SgoL and guest lectures, including talks by the cu- hosts monthly “invasions” at area businessrators, and a talk by Seattle art dealer and art es, bringing their special brand of fun with historian, David Martin, on March 24, at 1 them. St. Patrick’s Day has SgoL breaking p.m., on Gay Northwest Artists in the Early away from their traditional black and pink 20th Century. For more information on the to interject a little green into the atmosphere. exhibit and special events, call 253-272- Can you dig it? Leather Leprechaun is going to rock! Whether you’re a member, a sup4258 or visit www.tacomaartmuseum.org. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, porter, or just an admirer, SgoL hopes to see 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed Monday and Tues- you on St. Patrick’s Day for a hot shamrockday). On the third Thursday of each month, in’ time!.www.sgol.org. the museum is open until 8 p.m., with
March 9, 2012
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Roman Catholic diocese of Sacramento, California, said on March 7 that it will cut off funds to Francis House, a nonprofit agency that assists homeless people, because the Methodist minister who runs the program supports marriage equality. The Rev. Faith Whitmore’s public statements on marriage clash with Catholic teaching, said diocese social services director Fr. Michael Kiernan, and so it is “impossible for the diocese to continue funding Francis House.” “Why would we ask someone to contribute money to an organization and ask them to overlook all of those things that undermine the church’s teachings?” diocesan spokesperson Kevin Eckery said. “Francis House is a great charity, and we respect the fact that the director’s views are different from the diocese’s. But money collected during the annual appeal is very much Catholic parishioner money,” Eckery added. “It’s the diocese’s money, and they get to decide how to spend it.” Francis House has received annual donations of $7,500 to $10,000 from the diocese Catholic Appeal fund for at least 20 years, said Michael Miller, a member of the agency’s corporate advisory board. Now in its 42nd year, Francis House is one of the largest homeless services agen-
MANNY CRISOSTOMO / mcrisostomo@sacbee.com
Bishop defunds homeless agency whose director supports marriage equality
cies in the Sacramento region, serving more than 25,000 people. It has an annual budget of about $500,000. Whitmore, a former senior pastor at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento, took over leadership of Francis House in April after the sudden death of longtime executive director Gregory Bunker. Within her own denomination, she has been a strong advocate of same-sex marriage. In 2008, during the brief period in which same-sex marriage was legal in California, Whitmore openly defied her church by marrying same-sex couples. She has also said publicly that she supports a woman’s right to obtain an abortion. In an interview Wednesday, she called the diocese’s decision to cut off funding to Francis House “surprising and disappointing.” “I have never represented any of those positions on behalf of Francis House,” said Whitmore. “I was speaking as an individual. So for me, this came out of the blue.” The Reverend Faith Whitmore, director of Francis House Miller said the agency’s board “stands firmly, 100% behind Faith. She had some have a litmus test for homeless people when just help them. But for whatever reason, the big shoes to fill at Francis House, and she they come in. We don’t ask them for their diocese made those issues a higher priority has done that very well.” position on choice and Gay marriage. We than the mission.” Miller said the agency “really appreciates the diocese’s support over the years. But the issues raised in their letter are not our issues.” “We serve the poor,” he said. “We don’t
Activists ask Obama to protect workers from anti-Gay harassment by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor According to Freedom to Work officials, more than 100,000 people have joined the organization’s campaign on Change.org urging President Obama to sign an executive order banning anti-LGBT workplace discrimination at companies that take federal contracts, which account for 22% of all jobs in the United States. Tico Almeida, founder and president of Freedom to Work, started the petition on Change.org to call attention to the millions of workers at U.S. federal contractors who could be fired from their jobs solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Estimates from the Williams Institute at UCLA indicate that more than 16 million workers with federal contractors are currently unprotected from anti-Gay discrimination in the workplace. “The strong response to Freedom to Work’s online petition shows that Americans don’t want their taxpayer dollars squandered on workplace harassment and anti-LGBT discrimination,” said Almeida. “Our government should never subsidize prejudice.” The executive order would also serve as a winning wedge issue during the upcoming presidential campaign, said Freedom to Work officials. “I predict President Obama will soon sign the executive order because it’s the right thing to do, and also because he can use this as a winning wedge issue in the upcoming election. The polling is strongly on our side, and even a majority of Republican voters support workplace nondiscrimination for LGBT Americans. If the Republican star Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin could vote to ban anti-Gay discrimination in 2007, then President Obama
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can certainly sign this simple executive order in 2012.” By signing the executive order, President Obama would effectively require all businesses under contract with the U.S. government to protect their employees from harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Such an executive order has existed for many decades for African-Americans, Latinos, women, religious minorities, and other groups that face workplace discrimination. The order would give the U.S. Department of Labor enforcement oversight to insure that government contractors have appropriate policies in place. Additionally, under the proposed executive order, workers at federal contractors would be able to seek back-wages and reinstatement if they are fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Freedom to Work recently won another campaign on Change.org, urging DynCorp International, a defense contractor that does more than $3 billion in business with the U.S. government, to add anti-discrimination policies that protect employees based on perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity. More than 55,000 people signed that petition, spurring DynCorp to act. But dozens of other federal contractors do not have workplace anti-harassment policies that protect LGBT employees. According to the Washington, D.C., Metro Weekly, several sources have confirmed that the executive order has received approval by the U.S. Labor Department and the Justice Department, and is now at the White House waiting for the president’s signature. Freedom to Work is a national organization committed to banning workplace harassment and career discrimination against LGBT Americans through public education, policy analysis, and legal work.
Celebrating 39 Years!
Obama’s Transgender ex-nanny outcast courtesy csi
Evie, who lives in Jakarta, cared for Barack Obama when he was 8 years old.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor This week, the Associated Press introduced the world to Evie, U.S. President Barack Obama’s Transgender childhood nanny in Indonesia. Although the story is interesting in the fact that there’s a link between Evie, 66, and the president, the raw injustice of Evie’s current living situation overshadows the link between the nanny and the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. Evie – who, like many Indonesians, goes by a single name – now lives in a closetsized hovel in a tightly packed slum in an eastern corner of Jakarta, collecting and scrubbing dirty laundry to pay for food. She wears baggy blue jeans and a white T-shirt advertising a tranquil beach resort far away in a place she’s never been. According to the AP, “She speaks softly, politely, and a deep worry line is etched between her eyes.” “Once, long ago, Evie looked after ‘Barry’ Obama, the kid who would grow up to become the world’s most powerful man,” wrote Niniek Karmini of the Associated Press. “Now, his Transgender former nanny has given up her tight, flowery dresses, her brocade vest, and her bras, and is living in fear on Indonesia’s streets.” Evie, who was born male but always believed she is really female, told the AP that she has endured a lifetime of taunts and beatings because of her identity. She described how soldiers once shaved her long, black hair to the scalp and smashed out lit
cigarettes on her hands and arms. According to Evie, the turning point came when she found a Transgender friend’s bloated body floating in a backed-up sewage canal two decades ago. “She grabbed all her girlie clothes in her arms and stuffed them into two big boxes,” wrote Karmini. “Halfused lipstick, powder, eye makeup – she gave them all away.” “I knew in my heart I was a woman, but I didn’t want to die like that,” said Evie, her lips trembling slightly as the memories flood back. “So I decided to just accept it. ... I’ve been living like this, a man, ever since.” Nobody knows how many Transgender persons live in the sprawling archipelagic nation of 240 million, but activists estimate 7 million. “Because Indonesia is home to more Muslims than any other country in the world, the pervasiveness of men who live as women and vice versa often catches newcomers by surprise,” said Karmini. “They hold the occasional pageant, work as singers or at salons, and include well-known celebrity talk show host Dorce Gamalama.” Karmini continued, “societal disdain still runs deep – when Transgenders act in TV comedies, they are invariably the brunt of the joke. They have taken a much lower profile in recent years, following a series of attacks by Muslim hard-liners. And the country’s highest Islamic body has decreed that they are required to live as they were born because each gender has obligations to fulfill, such as reproduction.”
“They must learn to accept their nature,” says Ichwan Syam, a prominent Muslim cleric at the influential Indonesian Ulema Council. “If they are not willing to cure themselves medically and religiously” they have “to accept their fate to be ridiculed and harassed.” Many Transgender Indonesians turn to prostitution because jobs are hard to find and because they want to live according to what they believe is their true gender. “In doing so,” said Karmini, “they put themselves at risk of contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.” Some, like Evie, have decided it’s better to hide their feelings. But others are pushing back. According to Karmini, “last month, a 50-year-old Indonesian transvestite applied to be the next leader of the national human rights commission, showing up in a borrowed luxury vehicle with paparazzi cameras flashing as she stepped out.” The threat of violence is very real: Indonesia’s National Commission for Human Rights receives about 1,000 reports of abuses per year, ranging from murder and rape to the disruption to group activities. Worldwide, at least one person is killed every other day, according to the Trans Murder Monitoring Project, which collects homicide reports. “Evie says she chose her current name because she thought it sounded sweet. But she adds, as she pulls out her national identification card, her official name is Turdi and gender male,” said Karmini. “Several longtime residents of Obama’s old Menteng neighborhood confirmed that Turdi had worked there as his nanny for two years, also caring for his baby sister Maya.” Evie met the boy who would become president after she dropped out of school after the third grade and decided to learn how to cook. “As it turned out, she was pretty good at it, making her way into the kitchens of several high-ranking officials by the time she was a teenager, she recalls with a smile and a wink,” said Karmini. “And so it was, at a cocktail party in 1969, that she met Ann Dunham, Barack Obama’s mother, who had arrived in the country two years earlier after marrying her second husband, Indonesian
Lolo Soetoro.” Dunham was so impressed by Evie’s beefsteak and fried rice that she offered her a job in the family home. “It didn’t take long before Evie also was 8-year-old Barry’s caretaker, playing with him and bringing him to and from school.” Neighbors recalled that they often saw Evie leave the house in the evening fully made up and dressed in drag. But she says it’s doubtful Barry ever knew. “He was so young,” says Evie. “And I never let him see me wearing women’s clothes. But he did see me trying on his mother’s lipstick sometimes. That used to really crack him up.” When the family left in the early 1970s, things started going downhill. She moved in with a boyfriend. “That relationship ended three years later, and she became a sex worker,” said Karmini. “I tried to get a job as a maid, but no one would hire me,” says Evie. “I needed money to buy food, get a place to stay.” Today Evie seeks solace in religion, going regularly to the mosque and praying five times a day. She says she’s just waiting to die. “I don’t have a future anymore,” she told the AP. She says she didn’t know the boy she helped raise won the 2008 U.S. presidential election until she saw a picture of the family in local newspapers and on TV. She blurted out that she knew him. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” she said. Evie told the AP her friends at first laughed and thought she was crazy, but those who live in the family’s old neighborhood say it’s true. Evie hopes her former charge will use his power to fight for people like her. “For Evie, who’s now just trying to earn enough to survive each day on Jakarta’s streets, the election victory itself was enough to give her a reason – for the first time in a long time – to feel proud,” reports Karmini. “Now when people call me scum,” she says, “I can just say: ‘But I was the nanny for the president of the United States!’” When asked about the nanny, the White House had no comment.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
full and equal participation in the ABA, the legal profession, and the justice system, say officials. With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.
ABA Commission seeks nominations for firstever LGBT Law Awards For the first time ever, an American Bar Association (ABA) commission will formally honor lawyers who have considerably advanced LGBT individuals in the legal profession and successfully championed LGBT legal causes. According to ABA officials, the ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is taking nominations of exceptional lawyers, judges, and legal academics for its inaugural Stonewall Award. The annual award is named after the New York City Stonewall Inn police raid and riot of June 28, 1969, which was a turning point in the Gay rights movement. Nominations must be submitted electronically by 6 p.m. Eastern time on May 31. The commission will announce award recipients in September, and the presentation ceremony will take place at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Dallas in February 2013. Award criteria and nomination requirements are online at www.americanbar. org/groups/sexual_orientation/stonewall_ award.html. Created by the ABA in 2007, the Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity works to secure for LGBT persons
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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Celebrating 39 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
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Celebrating 39 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
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Celebrating 39 Years!
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Seattle Gay News 15
Chilean government promises new protections for LGBT community courtesy la tercera
Chile’s Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
residents in the wake of a brutal hate crime targeting a young Gay man. Daniel Zamudio, 24, has been in a mediChile’s Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter promises that his country’s govern- cally induced coma since being attacked on ment will step up efforts to protect LGBT March 4 by unidentified persons in Santia-
go, Chile’s capital city. Zamudio suffered severe head injuries and a broken right leg in the assault. Dr. Emilio Villalon, director of Posta Central Hospital, where Zamudio is being treated, said that although his injuries were serious, his “evolution has been favorable and it seems he will improve.” Zamudio also had swastika-like shapes carved into his chest, leading to speculation that neo-Nazis were involved. Zamudio’s father, Ivan, said his son had previously received death threats from neoNazi groups because he was an out Gay man, and that on “a previous occasion, he had been kept on watch by a suspect group, outside a club in Santiago.” Gay Chilean bloggers have warned that “a good number of LGBT youth have been beaten in the past by such groups in downtown Santiago and left wounded in the street, without anyone doing anything to protect or defend them.” Hinzpeter, whose ministry is responsible for public safety, expressed outrage at the attack. “There is nothing more detestable than to build a fraternal society that disrespects and disregards diversity,” he said in a statement. “I think the violence displayed in attacking Daniel Zamudio for his sexual orientation is behavior that, as a society, we need to eradicate once and for all.” The incident gave the government an added incentive to pass legal protections for the LGBT community, Hinzpeter promised. “We’re going to give added urgency to the anti-discrimination law,” he said. Chile should also consider passing a hate-crime law, Hinzpeter added. While some LGBT rights activists echoed Hinzpeter’s sentiments, others blamed the government for tolerating neo-Nazi organizations. “We condemn this cruel act that tramples the equal dignity of all human beings. We ask the Chilean authorities to become part of legal actions designed to punish the guilty. A crime of this hatefulness cannot go unpunished,” the LGBT rights group Fundacion
Iguales said in a statement. “We ask further … to bring urgency to the Anti-Discrimination Act, to provide protection to all citizens regardless of race or ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, ideology or political opinion, religion or belief, trade union membership or participation in trade associations or lack of them, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, affiliation, personal appearance, illness, or disability.” “We are very worried because it is not the first time that such brutal expression of violence takes place in the country,” another activist told CNN. “This is a consequence of the Chilean government’s lax attitude in tolerating neo-Nazi groups.” Rolando Jimenez, president of the LGBT rights group MOVILH (Movimiento Chileno de Minorias Sexuales) said his organization would formally request meetings with Hinzpeter and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. “We will file appropriate legal action on Thursday or Friday of this week and we’re asking for an urgent meeting with the Interior Minister,” he told El Mostrador newspaper. Jimenez said his group was circulating Zamudio’s photograph in the hope that witnesses would come forward. Singer Ricky Martin also condemned the attack and sent his best wishes to Zamudio and his family. “No more hatred, no more discrimination. I hope that justice is done NOW. Lots of light to Daniel and his whole family,” Martin said via his Twitter account. Martin’s tweet, which included the hashtag #fuerzadanielzamudio (“strength Daniel Zamudio”), has been spreading quickly via social networks in Latin America and around the world. Same-sex sexual activities have been legal in Chile since 1998, but there are currently no anti-discrimination protections for LGBT Chileans and no hate crimes laws. Transgender Chileans did win the right to change their names and identity documents in 2007.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Officials in Azerbaijan say Gay visitors are welcome to the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest when the event comes to Baku, the capital city of the former Soviet republic. Eurovision – a kind of European American Idol – has an enthusiastic Gay following. Audience figures have been estimated as anywhere between 100 million and 600 million internationally. However, the assurances of Azeri officials fail to mesh with the daily experiences of people who have firsthand experience of how LGBT people are treated in Azeri society. A Turkish-speaking country of some nine million people, 95% of them Muslims, it is the largest country in the Caucasus mountains. The current president inherited the office from his father, who was previously the Soviet-era party boss of the region. “Everybody’s rights are violated in Azerbaijan,” said Babi Badalov, a Gay Azeri artist who has recently been granted asylum in France, “and Gays are not an exception. I doubt that I will live to see my country join the modern world.” Badalov won asylum in France after he was turned down in 2008 by Great Britain. British officials told him being Gay was not
illegal in Azerbaijan, and therefore he had no grounds to seek asylum. Badalov says that legal or not, Gay Azeris face discrimination, abuse, and even death threats. “My brother has vowed to kill me, and then kill himself,” Badalov said. “The day I was ‘outed,’ my sister screamed at me on the phone and told me to stay out of Azerbaijan. I don’t think I will ever be able to speak to any of them again.” “Homosexuality here is seen as worse than prostitution,” said Yadigyar Sadykov, a human rights activist from Badalov’s native region, a very conservative part of the country near the Iranian border. “If a family decided to kill a Gay relative, most people would approve. I have heard of many suicides of suspected homosexuals – I have never met an openly Gay person around here.” “During Eurovision, no one will bother Gay foreigners in Baku,” said writer Alekper Aliyev, author of a controversial book about a Gay romance between an Azeri and a man from Armenia, the country’s historic enemy. “People here don’t mind, as long as it’s not in their family. There are several openly Gay celebrities in Baku who have money and bodyguards, and they are safe. But nothing
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courtesy no borders south wales
Gay tourists welcome in Azerbaijan, local Gays not so much
Gay Azerbaijani artist Babi Badalov
will change for the majority of Gays, particularly in the provinces. This society will never accept them.” Azeri officials say their country has been unfairly targeted by Azeri exiles with a grudge against the government. “Recently there has been much ill-informed speculation by some expatriates
about how we treat our homosexual community,” said Elnur Aslanov, a senior official in the office of President Ilham Aliyev. “We consider all this nothing more than an unsuccessful attempt by those naysayers to gain a better reputation in their respective countries in the light of the upcoming Eurovision song contest in Azerbaijan.”
Celebrating 39 Years!
students
continued from cover our chapels available for same-sex marriages.” On February 8, Sundborg was quoted in the Times, “To require us to utilize them for this purpose would violate our identity and commitment as a Catholic university.” Members of Seattle University’s Counselors for Social Justice, Graduate Student Council, and Veterans Committee were outraged by Sundborg’s statement and made it known to him in a February 17 letter. “We were upset because he didn’t need to make a statement,” Andrew Nichols, a graduate student at Seattle University and U.S. Army veteran, told Seattle Gay News. “The law already allows for religious institutions to be exempt. Also, the words ‘violate our identity’ hurt our community.” Nichols, who also wrote Sundborg a personal letter regarding the matter, alerted SGN about the issue because, as an openly Gay student at Seattle University, he was “shocked and personally hurt” by the comments. “The part of your statement that hurts the most is how you said allowing same-sex marriages would ‘violate our identity’ at SU,” Nichols wrote to Sundborg in a February 14 letter obtained by SGN. “I ask you, Father, how would it violate our identity?” “The reputation SU has in Seattle, in our greater community, is that we advocate for social justice for all. The violation of our identity, unfortunately, comes from your statement, not from furthering our mission of creating a just and humane world,” he continued. “Your voice represents an institution that has a certain image in Seattle, and I would hate for that imagine to be ruined.” The student groups at SU echoed Nichols’ sentiments in a letter of their own telling Sundborg they were “sad and angered” by his choice of words. “We are particularly aggrieved by your claim that offering our chapels for same-sex marriages would ‘violate our identity,’” said the students. “On behalf of all members of our campus community, including many of the Catholic faith, and in solidarity with our LGBTQ sisters and brothers, we would like to ask for a clarification from you about your statements, an explanation about how you believe this law will be interpreted and acted upon by Seattle University, and a demonstration of your understanding of how your sentiments affect LGBTQ members of our community.” “The mission of Seattle University is to, in part, empower ‘leaders for a just and humane world.’ While this progressive university has taken many steps forward, to live up to this awesome mission, we feel like your statements, as we read them, bring us a few steps backwards,” the students told Sundborg. “Our collective work must be about social justice, as the university preaches, and we must continue moving forward towards equality for all,” they continued. “There are already too many barriers and restraints confronting the marginalized community that is the subject of the same-sex [marriage] law. We must seek to break down these barriers and dissolve the restraints. Leadership for a just and humane world requires us to take such action not just when it is convenient or when we feel it is safe to do so, but even in the face of political, societal, and/or religious pushback.” “We recognize and are grateful that SU advocates and provides domestic partnership benefits,” said the students. “However, that stance, when contrasted with your recent statements, leaves us dismayed. Ultimately denying same-sex couples the right to vow loyalty, happiness, and commitment to each other before their God.” The students asked, as a collective voice, for Sundborg to apologize for the harm his statement had caused “to so many members of our community and we compel you to
consider revisiting your statements and to explain how they fit with the SU mission of social justice and development of the holistic student.” Nichols, a graduate student enrolled in the SU Community Counseling Program, told Sundborg, “I do hope that one day we see a beautiful marriage between two loving Catholics, who happen to be of the same sex, in our campus chapel. We should seek to further strengthen the institution of marriage by promoting this, not denying it. I believe we will see social justice truly practiced here on campus one day.” SGN is pleased to report that, after Nichols and other students met with Sundborg, the SU president held a forum to discuss the topic and, according to Nichols, “apologized for the use of the three words ‘protects,’ ‘violates,’ and ‘identity.’”
stories
continued from cover across the nation, we will change hearts and minds – is correct. We saw evidence of this in Washington state when Republicans crossed party lines in the state Senate to vote for marriage equality. And according to Mary Slosson, a Los Angeles-based reporter for Reuters, there is evidence that sharing one’s personal stories is working elsewhere as well. “Gay marriage is one of the defining ‘culture war’ issues dividing the United States during the 2012 presidential election year,” wrote Slosson in a March 5 Reuters report. “Supporters see it as a question of civil rights and equality for Gay Americans. Opponents see it as morally wrong and an attack on traditional marriage between a man and a woman.” The personal experiences of friends, family, or constituents persuaded a crucial group of Republican lawmakers to vote for samesex marriage in three state legislatures last month, in some cases tipping the balance in favor of legalizing marriage equality. “Among them were two Washington state legislators with Gay relatives, a New Jersey state senator who changed her mind while working on an anti-bullying measure, and a Maryland state House delegate inspired by a Gay couple coping with cancer,” said Slosson. “At the state level, where there has been surprising momentum for same-sex marriage this year, some lawmakers put the ideological wars aside and responded to the personal pleas,” she continued. “They did so at great political risk. Most of the Republican converts were met with impassioned resistance from fellow members of their party. Activists pledged to defeat them in the next election cycle, and in some cases constituents confronted them angrily.” Slosson said that each Republican lawmaker she interviewed about the political risk they took in being supportive of and voting for marriage equality said “they were willing to lose their elected office in order to stand up for what they believed was a basic civil rights issue.”
“Walsh then began receiving an outpouring of international support, with phone calls and text messages from Lebanon, Turkey, Sweden, Iceland, Japan, Germany, and more,” reported Slosson. “But Walsh said one story made her feel that her vote, which helped the measure clear the House 55 to 43, was worth whatever cost she may face for her stance.” “My daughter got a text from a young girl after I gave my speech that said, ‘Will you please thank your mother? My mother hasn’t talked to me for three years since I came out to her. My mom called me and told me she loved me tonight,’” Walsh said. According to Slosson, “the lawmaker was sitting at the dinner table when her daughter read the text aloud and remembers bursting into tears.” “Win or lose my next election, that meant everything to me,” she said in an emotional interview with Reuters. Opponents have already started raising money to kick Walsh out of her seat.
posted a video of him engaged in intimate behavior with another man. “This was not the politically astute thing to do. It was just the right thing to do,” Allen said. “It could cost me my seat in the Senate, but the reality is that I’m not here to save my seat,” Allen said.
NEW JERSEY New Jersey State Sen. Diane Allen was one of two Republicans to help provide the 24-to-16 margin for marriage equality in the state Senate. “She said her vote was swayed by work on anti-bullying legislation, the personal stories shared by members of advocacy groups, and Gay friends,” wrote Slosson. “Young people perceived as Gay, Lesbian, or Transgender tend to be bullied more than any other group. It all started to fall together after that,” Allen said in explaining her vote. New Jersey’s anti-bullying legislation, said to be the toughest in the nation, passed in the wake of the suicide death of 18-yearold Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who took his life after fellow students
MARYLAND The Maryland Senate vote for marriage equality was extremely close – 25 to 22 – while it passed the lower House of Delegates by 72 to 67. “Maryland Delegate Wade Kach said he changed his position on Gay marriage after hearing testimony from same-sex couples,” Slosson wrote. “Kach, who describes himself as a conservative, said he was particularly moved by the story of a pastor and his partner, who had beaten cancer a few years ago, only to have the disease return. He remembered noticing how supportive the men were of each other.” “I can remember the pastor saying that they’ve been coming down [to the legislature] for the last eight years in support of this bill, and they don’t expect that next year they’ll be able to come any longer,” Kach said, referring to the cancer. Kach told Slosson he received a deluge of emails and phone calls from constituents since he announced his support of the samesex marriage bill, the majority angry and disappointed by the decision. “It’s a shame that each one of my constituents didn’t have an opportunity to be there during the public hearing and have the opportunity to talk to some of the witnesses,” Kach said, “because I think some hearts would have been changed.” Democratic governors of Maryland and Washington signed the legislation lawmakers approved, but in New Jersey, Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoed it.
March 9, 2012
Seattle Gay News 17
WASHINGTON As an example, Slosson reminded the public of Republican Maureen Walsh, a member of the Washington House of Representatives, who, during an emotional debate on the House floor, “spoke of being frustrated that her Lesbian daughter could not legally marry her girlfriend.” “She’s met the person that she loves very much and someday, by God, I want to throw a wedding for that kid,” Walsh told her fellow legislators on the floor of the House. “I hope she won’t feel like a second-class citizen.” Video of Walsh’s speech went viral on the internet, scoring millions of views on YouTube after George Takei, an outspoken Gay rights activist famous for his role as Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, posted it on his Facebook page.
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Dangerous emergence of Hepatitis C (HCV) by David Webb Courtesy of The Rare Reporter After the emergence of HIV and the devastation it caused in the 1980s, the identification of yet another deadly virus about the same time went virtually unnoticed by the general public. News and concern about Hepatitis C (HCV) understandably took a back seat to HIV, and so the liver disease apparently grew exponentially because it was a slower killer and asymptomatic. Spread mostly by blood-to-blood contact, HCV is now thought to infect as many as 170 million people worldwide, many or most of whom are unaware of their status because of the absence of any symptoms they are ill. Often people do not become aware of their infection until significant damage is done to their liver, cirrhosis or cancer develops, and a transplant is necessary. Now, more people die from HCV-related illnesses than those associated with HIV, according to Center for Disease Control officials. CDC officials warn that Baby Boomers – anyone born between 1945 and 1965 – should get a test to determine if they are infected with HCV. Federal health officials estimate that two-thirds of the people infected with HVC are in this age group, and that half are unaware of it. Medical researchers and practitioners theorized since the 1970s that another hepatitis virus existed in addition to Hepatitis B because some patients who no longer exhib-
ited traces of HBV in their blood continued to show similar signs of liver malfunction. Finally, in 1989, Hepatitis C was proven to exist, and widespread testing of blood for the virus since 1997s has revealed its frightening spread. Many people in the LGBT community were unaware of the existence of HCV and only learned about if someone they knew was diagnosed with it or if, God forbid, they learned they themselves had contracted it. After dodging the HIV bullet and vowing not to place themselves at risk of contracting it, many people no doubt were shocked to learn there was yet another virus they could have contracted through blood transfusions, shared intravenous drug use, and/or sexual activity. What’s worse, there are concerns that the transmission of HCV might occur more easily than HIV through unsterilized medical and dental equipment, body piercings, shared personal items such as razors, toothbrushes, and manicure tools, and no telling what else. In contrast, HIV is thought to be less easily transmitted. The possible presence of HCV was sometimes detected in the early 1990s among patients who got annual physicals because routine blood tests revealed irregularities in liver enzymes. Further testing to identify the cause could reveal the presence of HCV when patients were in the care of doctors who stayed abreast of the medical developments.
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It became clear HCV would become a chronic infection for most people who contracted it, and that it would eventually lead to severe health problems or death. Only a few people would contract the virus and overcome it through the body’s natural processes, as is thought to be the case with some people who are exposed to HIV. Two people I have known who were HCVpositive illustrate just how widespread the virus could ultimately be. One individual was a Gay man who was a former heavy intravenous drug-user and HIV-negative, but nonetheless a member of a high-risk group. The other was an older married female who didn’t even drink, let alone do drugs or engage in sex with multiple partners. She would surely be considered a member of a low-risk group, and I suspect she contracted the virus in a hospital setting long before the virus’ existence was known. There are treatments available for HCV, but they unfortunately have different levels of effectiveness among patients, are expensive, and can be intolerable to some people. Both of the people I knew were unable to tolerate the treatments. The heterosexual female has died, and I have lost contact with the Gay man I knew who HCV-positive. The last time I talked to him he had been declared disabled because of his HCV infection and the damage it had done to his liver. In both cases, the months-long treatments that included injections and oral drugs caused flu-like symptoms and severe depression. They both abandoned the treatments.
Fortunately, other people managed to survive the treatments and the combination of drugs apparently eliminated HCV from their blood. The very fortunate discovered the infections and received the treatments before irreversible damage was done to their livers as was indicated by biopsies. At the time the two people I knew tried the available treatments it was when only a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin was available. Those treatments initially were prohibitively expensive, but they are considered less costly now. Today, there are new protease inhibitors available for treatment showing promise, but the cost is astronomical. The new drugs – Victrelis at $1,100 per week, and Incivek at $4,100 per week – must be taken for months, and they also can cause hideous side effects. It’s an agonizing situation, but most people are willing to spend whatever it costs if they can and endure whatever pain comes along in an effort to survive. That’s why it’s so important to get tested for HCV and to determine whether treatment is needed before it’s too late. For others who are uninfected, don’t go there in the first place. Know how HCV is spread and avoid any possibility that it can imperil your life. David Webb is a veteran journalist who has covered LGBT issues for the mainstream and alternative media for three decades. Contact him at davidwaynewebb@ hotmail.com
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New “Quad” HIV med New PrEP study: Monthly causes fewer side effects injection maintains prevention levels riencing this side effect as opposed to 14% of patients on Atripla. Discontinuation rates due to adverse side Results from the stage-three clinical trials effects were similar for both drugs, Sax of the “Quad,” a new four-in-one daily pill said, as 1.4% of patients in the Quad group by Mike Andrew from the Gilead Sciences pharmaceutical dropped out due to kidney abnormalities, SGN Staff Writer company, show it caused fewer adverse side while 1.4% of the Atripla group discontinA new, but small, study of a once-a-month ued due to rash. effects than the company’s injectable PrEP drug shows that drug levels Sax said the median levthree-drug pill, Atripla. “Based on these el of serum creatinine can be maintained at levels that should – in The results were reresults, I believe the Quad increase – a measure theory – be high enough to protect patients leased March 7 at HIV infection. the Conference on could represent a potentially of renal toxicity against – was 0.14 milli- The study also shows that the drug as yet Retroviruses and important new treatment grams per deciliter has produced very few adverse side effects. Opportunistic Infections in Seattle. regimen for a wide range of for the Quad arm of The research was presented at the 19th the study, which was Conference on Retroviruses and Opportu“These data show HIV patients initiating below the level of 0.4 nistic Infections in Seattle. that the Quad is as efmg/dL which would have The clinical trial at St. Stephen’s AIDS fective [as Atripla] as a therapy.” Trust at London’s Chelsea and Westminster indicated safety concerns. current standard of care in HIV The study also found that at 48 weeks of Hospital involved only 27 women and six therapy. The safety profile of Quad was also comparable to that of Atripla, and was better treatment, 88% of Quad patients achieved men. They were given single injections of tolerated in terms of key neurological side target levels of HIV, compared with 84% of the long-acting formulation of the drug rilpivirine. effects,” said Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director Atripla patients. Asked if it would make sense to eventual- Rilpivirine was licensed as an oral HIV of the HIV program and division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s ly switch patients from Atripla to the Quad, treatment last year under the brand name Hospital in Boston, and lead investigator in Sax said, “it looks like a switch would be vi- Edurant and is also used in the tenofovir/ rologically safe and maybe associated with FTC/rilpivirine pill Complera. Rilpivirine is the Quad study. “Based on these results, I believe the Quad fewer central nervous system side effects.” considered especially suitable to be turned The Quad is seen as key to Gilead’s con- into a long-lasting injectable form because could represent a potentially important new treatment regimen for a wide range of HIV tinued dominance of the HIV drug market. the daily dose of it required to suppress HIV It combines experimental integrase inhibitor is very small. patients initiating therapy.” The Quad contains two new drugs not yet Elvitegravir and boosting agent Cobicistat Researchers said rilpivirine could make approved by the FDA: the integrase inhibi- with Truvada, a pill consisting of Gilead’s an ideal candidate as a PrEP drug because people would not need to remember to tor Elvitegravir, and Cobicistat, which is older HIV drugs Emtriva and Viread. Most of the company’s current drug sales, take it every day. Other preventative drugs meant to mitigate the side-effects of Elvitewhich totaled $8.1 billion last year, come already formulated as monthly injections gravir. The latest trial data show that patients from Atripla, a once-daily pill that combines include the injectable contraceptive Depoon Atripla had significantly higher rates of Truvada with Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Sus- Provera and some anti-psychotic drugs. “There is an obvious need in HIV predizziness, abnormal dreams, insomnia, and tiva. The Food and Drug Administration is due vention and treatment for formulations that rash compared with the Quad. The experimental Quad did result in high- to decide by August 27 whether to approve reduce the need for the user to depend on daily administration,” researcher Akil Jacker rates of nausea, however, with 21% expe- the four-drug HIV pill. by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
son said. He added that the study showed only very preliminary results and did not establish what dose would actually be protective. Further safety and drug-level studies in HIVnegative volunteers are to be conducted at the University of Pittsburgh before the drug is given to volunteers with HIV. The St. Stephen’s study recruited 27 HIVnegative women aged 18 to 50, more than 50% of them black African or Caribbean, and gave them one of three doses of rilpivirine as an intramuscular injection – 300, 600, or 1,200mg. Drug levels were then measured over the course of the next 12 weeks in blood, vaginal fluid, and in vaginal tissue samples. A substudy gave six men the 600mg dose and measured rilpivirine levels in blood, rectal fluid, and rectal tissue samples. Thirty days after injection, blood and vaginal fluid levels of rilpivirine were about 60 nanograms per milliliter in both blood and vaginal fluid in women given the 600mg dose, and about 80 and 120ng/ml respectively in women given the 1,200mg dose. Blood levels in men given the 600mg dose were about 70ng/ml at 30 days. It is thought these levels should be adequate to prevent HIV infection. Trial participants complained of very few side effects apart from tenderness and some swelling at the injection site. There were no allergic reactions, psychological symptoms, or effects on heart rate. Researchers said adverse side effects would be a major consideration in a drug that remains in the body for up to 12 weeks.
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Maine voters will likely vote to allow equal marriage rights for Gay and Lesbian couples, a new poll shows. A Public Policy Poll released March 7 says that 54% of Maine voters believe that same-sex marriage should be legal, and only 41% think it should be illegal. Voters in Maine will be asked to decide the issue in November. When asked about the exact language that will be on the ballot, a somewhat smaller percentage agreed. Forty-seven percent said they would vote for the measure as opposed to 32% who will vote against it. In either case, it is a stunning reversal of public opinion in only three years. In 2009 voters passed Question 1, which repealed a marriage equality law passed by Maine’s legislature and signed by thengovernor John Baldacci. The vote was 53% against marriage equality to 47% in favor. The decisive factor seems to be the shift in opinion among self-described indepen-
dents. In 2009 independents were against same-sex marriage by a margin of 52% to 46%. In the new poll, 57% say they support marriage equality, with only 37% opposed. As in the poll PPP did in Washington state, released February 22, party affiliation was the best predictor of support for equal marriage rights. Among Republicans, opinions are pretty much the same as they were in 2009. Seventy-five percent of Maine Republicans say same-sex marriage should be illegal. Only 20% say Gay and Lesbian couples should have equal marriage rights. On the Democratic side, support for marriage equality has increased seven points, from 71% in 2009 to 78% now. PPP’s finding are in line with a national NBC/Wall Street Journal poll that also shows a significant increase in support for same-sex marriage over the last three years. NBC/WSJ found that 49% of their respondents favor marriage equality, as opposed to 40% against. The last time the question was surveyed, in 2009, the numbers were almost exactly opposite – only 41% supported mar-
Robert F. Bukaty
New polling data says Maine voters likely to pass marriage equality
Gay marriage supporters carry signed petitions to the Secretary of State’s Office in Augusta, Maine.
riage equality with 49% opposed. NBC/WSJ also found that people who have views about marriage rights tend to hold their opinions strongly. Thirty-two percent said they “strongly favor” marriage equality, and 31% said they “strongly oppose” the idea. Twenty-five percent of the national respondents said they would be “more likely to vote for a supporter of same-sex marriage,” and 20% said they would be “more likely to vote for an opponent of same-sex marriage.”
PPP found even more good news for Maine’s LGBT community and their friends. Maine voters have buyer’s remorse about the 2010 race for governor. Republican Governor Paul LePage has only a 41% approval rating, with 52% of voters disapproving of him. Those are the lowest approval numbers for LePage since he took office, PPP said. If voters could do it over again they would elect independent Eliot Cutler as governor, giving him 43% of the vote to 35% for LePage, and 19% for Democrat Libby Mitchell.
bishops
asked to approve or reject the new law. Catholic bishops have substantial resources to commit to a campaign if they choose to do so. In 2009, Malone went all-out to pass Question 1, the referendum that repealed Maine’s marriage equality law. Maine churches took up special collections during services and solicited contributions from other dioceses to help fund the campaign against same-sex marriage. Marc Mutty, then director of public affairs for Malone’s diocese, took a leave of absence from his church post to serve as campaign chairman for Stand for Marriage Maine, the group that led the fight to take away marriage rights for Gay and Lesbian couples. Of course, bishops only control the resources of their dioceses, and any decision they make will not affect Catholic lay organizations like the Knights of Columbus, for example. The Knights of Columbus endorsed the campaign to put Referendum 71 on the ballot in 2009, as they did with Question 1 in Maine, and they may take a more active role in the Referendum 74 campaign than Washington’s bishops do. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which has already pledged $250,000 to run primary campaigns against the Republican legislators who voted for marriage equality, is widely reported to be financed by Roman Catholic sources. As yet, this cannot be proved, since NOM refuses to disclose the names of contributors.
continued from cover whole, the bishop said. It will be discussed in Catholic churches and schools, in the diocese’s magazine and on its website, and on radio stations devoted to Catholic issues. “One of the reasons for the pastoral letter is we discovered during the 2009 referendum that a number of our Catholic brothers and sisters here in Maine really needed a deeper understanding of the nature of marriage,” Malone said. “Our effort this time is going to be squarely solidly educational.” Washington’s four Catholic bishops have already issued a pastoral letter, titled “Marriage and the Common Good.” The letter was released to the media and went up on the archdiocese website on January 14, and was read in Catholic churches the next week. In their letter, Washington’s Catholic bishops urged parishioners to lobby against passage of the marriage equality bill, which was then pending in the legislature. “We urge you to contact your own state senator and your two state representatives to request that they defend the current legal definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman,” the bishops said. The bill passed in spite of the bishops’ opposition and was signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire on February 13. It will go into effect in June unless Referendum 74 qualifies for the November ballot. In that case, voters will be
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continued from cover coverage. It’s not expensive, but there is a fee,” Marcotte said. “And that’s why marriage is important,” Cherin interjected. Besides being the state’s largest privatesector union, UFCW 21 has the youngest average membership age of all unions in the state, and like young voters in general, its younger members tend to support equal rights for the LGBT community, Marcotte and Cherin agreed. “A lot of our younger members take marriage equality as the norm,” Marcotte told SGN. “They’re surprised it’s not the law already. It’s just what should be.” “We know that younger voters are more supportive, but we’re not going to give our statistically less likely members a pass,” Cherin grinned. “We want to engage all our members.” Cherin says UFCW 21 is already giving Referendum 74 a “high priority.” “The polling is in our favor,” she said, “but we’re not naïve. We know we’re going
to have to be campaigning. It’s not a done deal.” “We’re keeping it in the forefront of our political agenda,” Marcotte added. Beyond the large financial contribution to the campaign, Marcotte and Cherin said their union is prepared to put its substantial human resources into the campaign. “We want to get our 38,000 members engaged,” Cherin said, “and we have infrastructure already in place to do that – phonebanks, direct mail, on-site visits, our online newsletter…. “At some point we’ll do voter ID based on the response to our initial contacts, but at this point we want to engage all our members.” “Phonebanking is often the easiest for our members, and it produces results,” Marcotte added. “We ask our members to contribute a few hours and we do it right here at the union hall. We call other union members, so it’s not like cold-calling someone you don’t have anything in common with.” Asked what problems they foresaw in taking the marriage equality message to their members, both women said that the sheer number of crucial races on the ballot in No-
vember make it hard for people to focus on one campaign. “Most of the talk [at PCC] is about [Democratic gubernatorial candidate] Jay Inslee,” Marcotte said. “People think the election is coming up so fast. I’m terrified of McKenna. What happened in Wisconsin could happen here,” she said, referring to Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s move to strip public sector unions of bargaining rights. “We want to remind people that labor rights and labor unions are good for the community, and we stand up for equal rights for everybody, members or not.”
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