Issue 20 Volume 40
FRIDAY May 18, 2012 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands
Celebrating 39 Years!
DESMOND TUTU p. 6
HOME HIV TEST p. 18
DONNA SUMMER p. 31
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Conservative Clyburn endorses marriage pollster urges GOP equality, wants federal law shift on marriage Former Bush operative says attitudes changing fast courtesy business insider
former President George W. Bush’s successful 2004 re-election campaign. In a May 11 memo to party operatives, Jan van Lohuizen noted that there’s been an increase in public support for marriage equality “at an accelerated rate with no sign of slowing down.” “The increase in support is taking place among all partisan groups,” wrote van Lohuizen. “While more Democrats support Gay marriage than Republicans, support levJan van Lohuizen els among Republicans are by Shaun Knittel increasing over time. The same is true of age: younger people supSGN Associate Editor port same-sex marriage more often The Republican Party should than older people, but the trends change the way it discusses samesex marriage, says the pollster for see pollster page 17
royal photography
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
The third-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House endorsed marriage equality in an MSNBC interview on May 14. “I, like the president, have evolved to a point of marriage equality,” Rep. James Clyburn (DSouth Carolina) told network anchor Chuck Todd. “I have not always been there. I grew up in a parsonage, a fundamentalist Christian parsonage, and I grew up with that indoctrination. And I have grown to the point that I believe that we have evolved to marriage equality.” Clyburn added that he disagreed with President Obama on the correct approach to take in establishing equal marriage rights for Lesbian and Gay couples. “If we consider this to be a civil right, and I do, I don’t think civil rights ought to be left up to a stateby-state approach. I think we should have a national policy on this,” Clyburn said. see clyburn page 20
Representative James Clyburn (D-South Carolina)
FDA panel approves Capitol Hill Alano Club to Truvada as PrEP drug
dissolve later this year
Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
courtesy google maps
CHAC’s Madison Street headquarters
Decision sparks debate
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Earlier this week, officials of the Capitol Hill Alano Club (CHAC) notified SGN that, as of December 31, the organization will dissolve. The decision, which may come as a shock to the many members who attend weekly CHAC meetings, was made because the Board of Directors feels that the mission of CHAC is being fulfilled. The lack of a permanent physical space to meet in was also a factor. The news is, as one board member described it, “bittersweet.” On one hand, the organization has existed for nearly 30 years and was born in a time when a safe space for members of the LGBT recovery community was needed. On the other hand, times have changed and, according to some board members, “several safe places exist within the heart of Capitol Hill” to meet the needs of the recovery community. In 1974, the Puget Sound area’s first all-Gay Alcoholics Anonymous group met once a week in
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
A panel of medical experts recommended on May 10 that the FDA approve Truvada as a PrEP drug – one that can be taken by HIV-negative patients to prevent HIV infection. The FDA’s Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee voted 19-3 in favor of prescribing Truvada for the highest risk group – HIV-negative men who have sex with multiple male partners. see chac page 20 The FDA is expected to make a
proud to Be Different
We are conveniently located on-site at Lifelong AIDS Alliance below the Thrift Store.
final decision by June 15. Truvada, manufactured by Gilead Sciences, is currently approved as an antiretroviral medication, to control HIV in patients who are HIV-positive. Because Truvada is already on the market as an antiretroviral, some doctors have prescribed it as a preventive measure. But FDA approval would allow Gilead to market the drug explicitly for that purpose. see truvada page 20
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courtesy The Pride
Mike Andrew, Miryam Gordon, Anthony Greer, Shaun Knittel, Albert Rodriguez, James Whitely
Thousands celebrate Belgian Pride
Contributing Writers
Rev. Barbara Allen, 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.
In Loving Memory Of
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Revelers at 2012 Belgian Pride
by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer
Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold
A record 70,000 people gathered in Brussels for Belgian Pride 2012 last weekend, an event co-organized by three federations (Flemish, Brussels, and Wallonian). Taking place in the heart of the city, the parade curled through Brussels’ most foottrafficked streets to throngs of onlookers from all over Europe, and even American visitors from both coasts. Following a reli-
Seattle Gay News
May 18, 2012
gious celebration and “Gay Village” opening, Belgian Pride committee members assembled on the main stage and welcomed everyone in the languages of French, Flemish, and English. A moment of silence was observed for victims of homophobia and those in the community no longer with us. Then the festivities began. Local drag celebrity La Diva performed a rousing version of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” as rainbow-colored confetti show-
ered the thousands of spirited supporters, who cheered loudly and danced under semicloudy skies. The parade soon got under way, featuring about a dozen kitschy-decorated flatbed trucks blasting pop and disco tunes. The sounds of Madonna and Donna Summer permeated the air, as did the aroma of salted pommes frites and, of course, sugary Belgian waffles. Chez Maman, a popular drag lounge in Brussels known for its famous proprietor, Maman, utilized an open-air mini-trolley for the parade, the kind often seen at amusement parks, as she and her crew appeared in pirate and Captain Hook outfits. Other parade participants included leather-adorned men from The Boots bar in Antwerp, Alliage LGBT Association from Liege, the Tackling Homophobia organization wearing rugby gear, a Lesbian marching band, the staff of the Gay magazine Labels, who wore smartlooking shirts with the printed slogan “Life is all about LABELS,” and several beautiful men and women in skimpy angel costumes. The crowd leaned significantly Gay, yet a surprising number of straight couples, some with infants and young children, turned out to celebrate the 17th installment of Belgian Pride. Although there were plenty of sun breaks during the parade, the weather on Saturday afternoon, May 12, was chilly. But this did nothing to dampen the mood of the event, widely feted in the Gay district, near the Grand Place. Pre- and post-Pride parties went on until mid-morning of the following day. The most congested section of Brussels after the parade was on Rue du Marche au Charbon, home to seven popular Gay bars – Le Belgica, Le Boys Boudoir, Le Baroque, Le Plattesteen, Le Fontainas, Dolores, and Tels Quels. The street was so packed with partygoers that you were literally shoulderto-shoulder with the person next to you. Meanwhile, the streets in and around Rue du Marche au Charbon were cluttered with beer cans, cigarette butts, popped balloons, and lots of random debris. In Brussels, residents are permitted to carry alcoholic beverages outdoors in public year-round. Part of the nightlife scenery is young people standing outside bars with pints of beer, or even playing cards at the Grand Place with a bottle of wine. “Pride 4 Every 1” was this year’s theme for Belgian Pride, which precedes Baltic Pride (Riga, Latvia) and Dresden Gay Pride at the end of May, followed by Bologna Gay Pride and Athens Gay Pride in early June. The date for next year’s Belgian Pride has already been announced: May 18, 2013. To plan way ahead on attending, go to www. visitbrussels.be for travel information. Brussels is about 11 hours from Seattle with easy connections in Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt.
Celebrating 39 Years!
by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer On Friday, May 11, the Gay City Health Project Board of Directors, along with several prominent Gay City supporters, hosted a wine-tasting benefit to raise funds for Project BuildOUT, Gay City’s effort to relocate to a new and larger space. “Cork Screw” took place in the new space, which is currently being renovated. Attendees sampled Argentine wines from four different vintners and viewed a short program about the future of Gay City. “I think the most exciting thing about moving and building out the space next door, and expanding Gay City, is that it will give us an opportunity to really live into the organization that we’ve become,” said Fred Swanson, executive director of Gay City. The new facility will have more than twice the space as their current one, thus allowing Gay City to significantly expand their programs and services. “Over the years, we’ve really evolved in the services that we provide,” said Gay City’s wellness director, Jeff Rinderle. For him, the new space will meet not only Gay City’s needs but the community’s as well. The Gay City Wellness Center will be better prepared to screen, counsel, and provide other health support services, an important thing as Gay City is the leading provider of free HIV and STI testing and
counseling in King County. In addition to offering an expanded wellness program, the staff at Gay City see their new space as a drop-in place for the community, and as a destination – a place to hold events on weekends, or just to come hang out and enjoy some Kaladi Brothers coffee. The cafe will continue to be a part of Gay City. “Our vision for Project BuildOUT is to create a resource hub and social destination for the LGBT community in Seattle,” say officials. “A place to gather and connect.” “This new space is going to allow us to do that,” said Peter Jabin, deputy director of Gay City. The new Gay City also features a blackbox space, which will host theatrical productions, film screenings, poetry events, musical performances, art installations, readings, and community meetings. “We’re designing the performance space so that it’s truly multi-purpose,” said Jabin. The new space also will allow Gay City to significantly expand their library, a growing collection of 5,000 books, CDs, and DVDs, half of which have been in storage and thus not readily available to the public due to the limits of their current space. “There are a lot of ways to promote Project BuildOUT” and Gay City, said Jabin. In addition to donating to the Project BuildOUT campaign, the wellness center and the library are seeking volunteers. Ac-
james whitely / seattle gay news
Coming via BuildOUT, new Gay City offices
Executive director of Gay City Fred Swanson
cording to Jabin, even just utilizing Gay City’s services helps the organization. To learn more about Gay City and Project BuildOUT, visit www.gaycity.org/buildout. Gay City Health Project is a multicultural Gay men’s health organization and the
leading provider of HIV and STI testing in King County. Their mission is to promote wellness in LGBT communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts, and building community.
New campaign highlights military families harmed by DOMA courtesy freedom to marry
at home,” said Army veteran and SLDN efits, and access to military bases and housExecutive Director Aubrey Sarvis. “All ser- ing for service members’ spouses. Additionvice members and their families provide the ally, the campaign will invite the public to same service, take the same risks, and make sign an online petition calling on Congress the same sacrifices. When it comes to rec- to “end this discriminatory and unequal ognition, support, and benefits, they must treatment of our service members and veterall be treated equally. There cannot be two ans” by repealing DOMA. classes of service members.” In October 2011, SLDN filed landmark Because of the “Gay exception” created litigation on behalf of eight married Gay by DOMA, America’s legally married Gay and Lesbian service members and veterans, and Lesbian couples are denied more than challenging DOMA and three other federal 1,100 federal responsibilities and protec- statutes that may be interpreted to prevent tions, including Social Security survivors’ the military from providing the same probenefits, equal treatment under U.S. im- tections and support to all families. migration laws, and the opportunity to take Freedom to Marry’s federal program leave to care for a spouse. works to repeal the so-called Defense of “Many people assume that, with the re- Marriage Act and make the case for marpeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ Gay men riage to government officials, opinion leadand Lesbians serving our country are now ers, and political operatives in Washington, being treated fairly and equally, but that’s D.C. Freedom to Marry is a leader of the not the case. We ended the ban on open Respect for Marriage Coalition, a diverse military service for Gay and Lesbian Ameri- group of nearly 70 organizations working cans, but there is still a federal ban on treat- together to repeal DOMA. The coalition ing married service members as what they regularly hosts salons to engage Demoare: married,” said Evan Wolfson, founder cratic, Republican, and independent opinand president of Freedom to Marry. ion leaders and operatives in conversations “The so-called Defense of Marriage Act’s about why marriage matters to same-sex ‘Gay exception’ keeps the government in couples. Since the introduction of the Rethe business of discriminating against fami- spect for Marriage Act, the bill that would lies, such as those of service members, and repeal DOMA, the number of co-sponsors burdening employers, such as the military, has increased from 18 to 32 in the Senate, who are prevented from treating their em- including every Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and from 108 Still from Freedom to Marry and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s video, released as ployees fairly and equally,” he said. The Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Mar- to 144 in the House of Representatives. part of a new campaign to highlight stories of military families harmed by DOMA ry campaign will include video and other For more information on Freedom to by Shaun Knittel multimedia content spotlighting the ways Serve, Freedom to Marry, visit www. SGN Associate Editor eral government’s refusal to respect their DOMA harms military families, including freedomtomarry.org/serve. marriages legally, are denied the support the denial of health insurance, survivor benA week after President Obama announced and protections that all other military famihis support for ending marriage discrimina- lies receive.” tion against same-sex couples, Freedom to Last week, the president described how Marry and Servicemembers Legal Defense the stories of service members and their Network (SLDN) announced Freedom to families had influenced his decision to sup$ Serve, Freedom to Marry, a new national port the freedom to marry. Indeed, the faces campaign that will highlight the stories of and stories of military families impacted by any size pizza military families harmed by the so-called the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). illustrate the unjust ways this law treats our 700 East Pine St., Seattle According to SLDN and Freedom to Mar- nation’s most courageous patriots. HOMEMADE ry officials, the campaign launched with the “It’s unconscionable that we would ask HAND TOSSED release of an online video illustrating the American citizens to put their lives on the “real injury inflicted on Gay and Lesbian line for us in war zones while treating them FREE DELIVERY • 206-322-6444 Not valid for delivery. military families who, because of the fed- and their families as second-class citizens
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Desmond Tutu speaks at Gonzaga commencement Urges respect for all, including LGBTs by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer On Sunday, May 13, the Most Rev. Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, spoke at Gonzaga University’s 2012 commencement ceremony in Spokane. Tutu voiced his belief in equality for all, including Lesbians and Gays, twice during his commencement speech, and was met with long applause. Tutu’s visit was not without controversy. Some alumni of the Jesuit institution felt that the former Anglican bishop couldn’t represent the traditions and moral beliefs of the Catholic Church. After garnering approximately 700 signatures urging Gonzaga officials to revoke Tutu’s invitation, a counter-petition was launched. It quickly received thousands of signatures from the student body alone, and the matter was settled. “It has been said that the difference between knowing what needs to be done and doing what needs to be done is courage,” said Dr. Thayne McCulloh, president of Gonzaga University, introducing Tutu. With six decades of activism under his belt, courage is something Tutu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, has proven, through much adversity, he is not short on. As is custom, Tutu received an honorary
degree from Gonzaga, a Doctorate of Laws. “It is a very, very great honor and privilege to be invited to give the commencement address on such an auspicious occasion,” Tutu told a filled arena of graduates and their families. “It is remarkable that I am now a Bulldog [Gonzaga’s mascot] … Thank you very much for this very wonderful honor, at this fantastic institution founded by some of the most remarkable minds in the Christian community. “I can’t resist young people. I am addicted. I have to tell you that they are some of the most incredible creatures in God’s world,” said Tutu. “You are actually the really distinguished people today.” It was the drive and dreams of youth that was the key point of his address. He mentioned how youths in the Bible, such as Joseph, David, and Jeremiah, were sent forth to do God’s work, and said it was not God making changes in the world, but his agents – young people. “Dream!” shouted Tutu. “Dream of a world where poverty is no more! Dream of a world that is marked by equity, where everyone has a decent life! We can have such a world. God says, ‘Please, please dream.’” Tutu went on to speak of how students’ dreams in particular have personally affected him.
Bishop Desmond Tutu speaks at the commencement of Gonzaga University, May 13, 2012.
“You helped to get Nelson Mandela out of prison! You helped to free us! Today we can speak of a free South Africa, a democratic South Africa!” said Tutu. Tutu called for the young graduates to go out and create a world inclusive to all. “Jew, Muslim, Christian. All … all, Gay, Lesbian, so-called straight. All!” said Tutu,
to much applause. As he finished his speech, Tutu received a long standing ovation from the entire arena in Spokane, the center of the anti-same-sexmarriage movement in Washington. On May 13, Spokane heard a Nobel laureate use God’s name to defend the rights of all people, including LGBT people.
Republicans legislators in Colorado torpedo civil unions again
AP Photo / Ed Andrieski
Colorado, “that in this building this bill has more than enough votes to pass. … It just needs a fair hearing.” McNulty denied he was hoping to kill the civil unions bill and said he simply was trying to give all bills equal time. “We’re working to expedite the processes as much as we can, consolidating bills into different committees. We’ll move through this special session as expeditiously as possible while recognizing the fact that there are a number of folks who are interested in the bills in front of us,” McNulty said. “We want to make sure those people have the opportunity to come and testify and weigh in on these bills.” McNulty charged that Hickenlooper was to blame for the cost of the special session, and for the failure of the House to act on a number of economic measures that also died along with civil unions as a result of the Republican filibuster. “It’s unfortunate that Governor Hickenlooper has put us in this position, but we will do our best to move as quickly as possible so that we’re not wasting taxpayer dollars. “This is Governor Hickenlooper’s special session, that he called for the purpose of passing same-sex marriage,” McNulty said, equating civil unions with marriage even though Colorado’s constitution bars samesex marriage. “From our perspective, our side is focused on job creation and economic recovery.” House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino scoffed at McNulty’s comments. “We’re standing here today in the speaker’s special session,” Ferrandino said. “They [Republicans] were so dead-set on killing a bill around equality – making sure that every family has equal access to Andy Schmidt and his 10-month-old daughter Nora attend a rally supporting civil unions at the state Capitol in Denver. the law – that they killed many jobs bills,” by Mike Andrew McNulty appeared to be trying to avoid he charged, including bills that would fund filibuster prevented action on the bill during a repeat of May 3, when one Republican $55 million in water infrastructure projects the regular session. SGN Staff Writer Colorado House Speaker Frank McNulty, member of the House Judiciary Committee around the state and stabilize unemployRepublican members of Colorado’s a Republican who played a leading role in voted with Democrats to approve the mea- ment insurance rates for businesses. House of Representatives have once again preventing debate on civil unions during the sure and send it to the House floor. “While [McNulty] blames the governor Supporters of the measure said they had for calling this special session, he needs to used a parliamentary maneuver to kill a pro- regular session, again intervened to derail five Republicans lined up to vote for it, look in the mirror and see who really called” the measure. posed civil unions bill. Using his power as speaker, McNulty as- meaning it would have passed had it come it, said Ferrandino. The House was called back for a threeday special session this week by Demo- signed the bill to the House State Affairs up for a vote. McNulty “called this special session by “It’s no secret,” said Brad Clark, execu- killing 30 bills that would create jobs across cratic Gov. John Hickenlooper specifically Committee, none of whose Republican tive director of the LGBT rights group One the state,” Ferrandino asserted. to take up civil unions, after a Republican members support it.
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Celebrating 39 Years!
Family Acceptance Project, preventing youth suicide
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor With media reports of suicide among LGBT youth becoming increasingly common, communities are grappling with the urgent need to identify interventions to prevent suicide and suicidal behavior among LGBT youth. However, until May 16, no “best practices” had been identified or designated to help reduce vulnerability and risk among LGBT children, youth, or adults. Although recent media attention has focused primarily on the impact of bullying on self-harming behavior, suicide is typically the result of many interacting factors including depression, substance use, and despair, in addition to environmental stressors. These complex interactions underscore the need for comprehensive suicide prevention strategies and for interventions to change the environment at the systems level. For LGBT youth, family systems are especially important. For the past decade, the Family Acceptance Project (FAP) at San Francisco State University, under the direction of Dr. Caitlin Ryan, has been studying the impact of family acceptance and rejection on suicide risk among LGBT youth. Published findings from these studies point to the critical role of families in both contributing to and protecting against suicidal behavior and risk among LGBT young people. FAP’s multidisciplinary team has been developing resources, interventions, and strategies to help diverse families reduce risk and promote their LGBT children’s well-being. The first of these resources – a multilingual, multicultural series of family education booklets, “Supportive Families, Healthy Children: Helping Families With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Children,” are the first-ever “Best Practice” resources for suicide prevention for LGBT youth and young adults issued by the national SPRC/AFSP Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention.
Coordinated by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the registry designates and maintains an expert-reviewed compendium of approved “Best Practices” to prevent suicide, all of which address specific aims of the national suicide prevention plan and have met objective criteria based on accuracy, safety, likelihood of meeting suicide prevention objectives, and adherence to prevention guidelines. Available in culture-specific English, Spanish, and Chinese versions, the “Supportive Families, Healthy Children” education booklets were developed based on extensive research and direct feedback from families, LGBT youth, and the providers who serve them. The booklets help ethnically and religiously diverse families understand how specific reactions to their children’s LGBT identity both contribute to and protect against risk for suicide and related health problems. Research-based guidance for families is depicted non-judgmentally using personal stories, lists of behaviors that both protect against and contribute to suicide risk and other serious health problems, and approaches to decrease family conflict and increase support. FAP’s core research and family education materials were supported by the California Endowment, a health foundation dedicated to expanding access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities. “Our work is grounded in rigorous research and rooted in the cultural experiences and values of scores of diverse LGBT youth and families,” said Dr. Ryan. “So these family education booklets resonate for very diverse families and help them decrease rejecting behaviors which our research shows – though motivated by care and concern – instead contribute to serious health risks for LGBT young people.” “For example,” she continued, “our research shows that common rejecting be-
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haviors such as trying to prevent LGBT youth from learning about their identity, not allowing them to have Gay friends, or not letting them participate in an LGBT youth group are related to a nine-times greater likelihood of attempted suicide.” In discussing the importance of FAP’s family education materials, Dr. Ann Haas, director of prevention projects for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, noted, “For the past decade, Dr. Ryan and her team have undertaken foundational research on the role of families and related social institutions in contributing to protective factors and risk for suicidal behavior among LGBT young people. They have turned that research into powerful prevention tools for diverse families. Used in programs across the country, these tools will save lives.” More than 100,000 copies of the family education booklets have been disseminated across the U.S. and other countries for use in schools, primary care and behavioral health programs, foster care and juvenile justice services, family service agencies, suicide prevention programs, and pastoral counseling and other faith-based organizations. Additionally, the booklets are used in colleges, universities, and professional training programs, and by government agencies. Agencies and community groups that use the Family Acceptance Project’s “Best Practice” materials and family intervention approach report substantial positive changes in prevention and practice. Jerry Peterson, coordinator for a Contra Costa County, California, mental health support initiative for LGBT youth, said, “FAP’s research is the cornerstone of our work in Contra Costa County. These booklets are a critical education and prevention tool that not only help prevent depression and suicide, but also help prevent substance abuse, sexual health risks, and expulsion and removal from the home. FAP’s inherently respectful approach strengthens families and helps build a Gay or Transgender child’s sense of self-worth in the context of their families. This is especially important for LGBT youth of color.”
Greater Boston PFLAG President, Stan Griffith, whose chapters have worked with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other groups since 2007 to disseminate FAP’s family intervention approach and materials across the state, noted, “The Family Acceptance Project’s research and family support strategies that show the crucial role of family acceptance have caused us to totally rethink the way we approach our work. We now know that it’s essential for every parent – and every prospective parent – to have this information. “Supportive Families, Healthy Children” is an indispensable part of every individual or group conversation with parents and caregivers and with professionals who provide counseling, health, and other services to children, youth, and families.” “Supportive Families, Healthy Children” is available for download at http:// familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications. Printed copies for distribution are available from the Family Acceptance Project in orders of any size. Lower literacy and faith-based versions are in development. FAP provides on-site training in using these materials. Contact fap@sfsu.edu to learn more. Information on the “Best Practice” designation for “Supportive Families, Healthy Children” is available on the Best Practices Registry’s web page, hosted by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center at www.sprc. org. The Family Acceptance Project is a research, intervention, education, and policy initiative that is designed to (1) improve the health, mental health, and well-being of LGBT children and adolescents; (2) strengthen and help ethnically and religiously diverse families to support their LGBT children; (3) help LGBT youth stay in their homes to prevent homelessness and the need for custodial care in the foster care and juvenile justice systems; (4) inform public policy and family policy; and (5) develop a new, evidence-based, family model of wellness, prevention, and care to promote well-being and decrease risk for LGBT youth. For more information, visit http://familyproject.sfsu.edu/.
Volunteers sought for SEAMEC endorsement panel
Seattle-area LGBTs interested in electoral politics are needed to help interview candidates for the Seattle Metropolitan Elections Committee’s 2012 voter guide. “The new 10th Congressional District will elect its first congressperson [this year], and we want to help ensure that the individual elected is supportive of our issues,” said SEAMEC Co-Chair Dave Haining. SEAMEC starts the evaluation process by sending each candidate a questionnaire that assesses their attitude, previous support, and involvement in areas important to the LGBT community. Candidates who wish to receive a SEAMEC rating and possible endorsement are then interviewed by volunteer panels. The resulting ratings and endorsements are widely disseminated throughout the community
May 18, 2012
for both the primary and general elections, to help voters make informed decisions. Interviews will take place in the evening beginning June 4 and continuing through most of the month. Those interested in being part of this process should contact SEAMEC at (206) 905-9941 and leave their name, phone number, and e-mail address. “It’s not only fun and informative to meet the individuals who will represent the interests of the community, but you will be providing a valuable service to the entire electoral process,” Haining said. “We anticipate interviewing more than 50 candidates for local, statewide, and national elected positions. Your help is definitely needed.” SEAMEC has been interviewing and rating candidates for public office since 1977.
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Rhode Island to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed an executive order May 14 directing state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, and to treat same-sex married couples the same as opposite-sex ones. In 2007, then-Attorney General Patrick Lynch issued an opinion in favor of recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages, but it was nonbinding. Chafee said his signing of the executive order is “following through” on that opinion. Rhode Island legalized same-sex civil unions last year, but does not allow marriages. Ray Sullivan, executive director of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, called the governor’s order “significant” and “bold.” “It’s important because all families deserve equal protection and recognition under the law,” he said. “Governor Chafee, by doing this today, is affirming that idea.” The order will “have immediate positive impact,” according to GLAD attorney Karen Loewy. She explained that married Lesbian and Gay couples now “will be able to receive consistent, equal treatment from their state government.” GLAD has worked closely with Chafee, an independent who previously served as a Republican in the U.S. Senate. Chafee supported a marriage equality bill last year but was unable to push it through the legislature.
Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Lincoln, Nebraska, the state’s capital and second-largest city, passed an LGBT rights ordinance May 14. The vote was unanimous, with all five Democrats on the City Council voting yes and both Republicans abstaining. The new ordinance forbids discrimination in housing, employment, and public accom-
file photo
Lincoln, Neb., passes LGBT rights ordinance
The executive order is expected to have many real-world implications. Same-sex spouses of state employees and anyone covered by an insurance company regulated in Rhode Island will be entitled to health and life insurance benefits, equal rights advocates said. Both partners in a same-sex couple will be able to list their names as parents on a child’s birth certificate, and same-sex couples will be entitled to sales tax exemptions on the transfer of property, including vehicles. Predictably, the state chapter of NOM was aghast. “To issue an executive order recognizing same-sex marriage flies in the face of the clearly expressed actions of the legislature and the people,” said Christopher C. Plante, regional coordinator for the National Organization for Marriage. According to NOM’s Rhode Island chapter, 80% of state residents want the marriage equality issue to be decided by the people. Only 7% want the legislature to decide, the group claims. An independent Brown University poll conducted in 2009 showed that 60% of Rhode Islanders support marriage equality, with only 31% opposed. A 2010 poll found that 63% of Rhode Island Catholics supported same-sex marriage, provided it did not infringe on the church’s right to refuse to perform such marriages. Forty-three percent of Rhode Islanders are Roman Catholic.
modation on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Family First Nebraska and the Nebraska Family Council, groups opposed to the measure, threatened to launch a referendum to put the ordinance up for a popular vote. By law, opponents of the new civil rights protections have 15 days to file an initiative challenging the ordinance, and then must collect 2,500 signatures to put it on the ballot. Omaha, Nebraska’s largest city, passed a similar civil rights ordinance in March. Nebraska’s Republican attorney general, Jon Bruning, issued an opinion at that time saying cities have no authority to create protected classes not included in state law, or to enforce laws on their behalf. City attorneys for both Omaha and Lincoln say they believe state law and their own home-rule charters give them such authorLincoln, Nebraska ity. Lincoln City Attorney Rod Confer noted tections against discrimination based on and would tell the world that Lincoln is a that Lincoln has already enacted other pro- age, family status, and disability that are not progressive community. “Prejudice and discrimination are never included in state law. “We strongly disagree” with the attorney right in this community for any reason,” he general’s opinion, Lincoln Mayor Chris said. Beutler told reporters May 11. Council member DiAnna Schimek said “I can think of no reason to stop moving the council had a responsibility to vote on forward with this ordinance, and I can think the ordinance rather than pass off the issue of many reasons we need to get this ordi- to voters. “It is important for us to do this,” she said. nance on the books.” Lincoln’s two Republican council mem- “It is a sign that we are a caring communibers cited Bruning’s opinion as their reason ty.” to abstain from voting. Before passing the ordinance, the council Democratic council member Carl Es- added an amendment requested by the local kridge, who sponsored the ordinance, said Roman Catholic diocese that strengthened passing the law would be good for business religious exemptions.
Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches 8
Seattle Gay News
May 18, 2012
Celebrating 39 Years!
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BORN THIS WAY KAFE FOR URBAN QUEER TEENS AT CAL ANDERSON PARK On Fridays, 5-9 p.m., at Cal Anderson Shelterhouse (1635 11th Ave., one block north of E. Pine St.), Seattle Parks & Recreation hosts Born This Way Kafe, a welcoming place where LGBTQ youth, friends and allies (ages 13-19) can gather, be themselves, and have fun. Meets every Friday. For more info and to help make it happen, contact Randy at Seattle Parks, 206-8836110 txt/phone, email randy.wiger@seattle. gov or Google “SeattleParksCOD.” BORDER RIDERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB SUMMER RIDES MAY 18-21 and monthly through October www.borderriders.com SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MAY 17-JUNE 10 www.siff.net “STANDOUT/STAND TOGETHER” – THE 2012 GSBA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS DINNER On Friday, May 18, at 5:30 p.m., at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront (2100 Alaskan Way), join GSBA members and friends for the 2012 GSBA Scholarship Awards Dinner. Celebrate this year’s award recipients and enjoy special remarks by guest speaker Gautam Raghaven from the Office of Public Engagement, The White House. Tickets: $120 GSBA members; $140 non-members; $100-students. For more information and to register: 206-366-9188; www.thegsba.org. SEATTLE PRIME TIMERS – COFFEE REUNION On Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m., Seattle Prime Timers meets at Starbucks (1600 E. Olive Way) for their monthly Coffee Reunion, a great time to informally meet and greet, socialize, chat, swap lies, find what your friends have been doing, let others know your latest theatre recommendations, etc., etc. www.seattleprimetimers.org.
Photo Center Northwest (900 12th Ave.) presents “Author and Subject: Contemporary Queer Photography.” The exhibit runs April 7-May 27 and highlights ten regional and national photographers and video artists who focus on identity, gender, sexuality, courage and the human form. The exhibit has been organized in response to “HIDE/ SEEK: Gender and Sexuality in American Portraiture” currently at the Tacoma Art Museum. The gallery is open MondayThursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and FridaySunday, 12 noon-8 p.m. FREE admission. www.pcnw.org. “PURPLE PROM” On Saturday, May 19, from 8-11 p.m., at Miller Community Center (330 19th Ave. E.), Seattle Parks & Recreation and Born This Way Kafe host the Purple Prom. The Purple Prom is an event for Queer youth of color, all Queer youth, friends, and allies, ages up to 20 years old. The evening features live DJs, a great dancing opportunity, food and fun. The event is FREE and advance tickets are required. The event capacity is 100 people. www.brownpapertickets. com/event/243179. Born This Way Kafe is a component of Seattle Parks and Recreation Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) youth programming. The program goals focus on creating safe and community-based connections between LGBTQ youth within their neighborhoods. Environments like Born This Way Kafe help nurture healthy LGBTQ youth and pave the way for civic engagement with the greater community. These LGBTQ programs work with the youth in these communities to bridge perceived differences and to build common ground. These LGBTQ programs are centered to identifying and working with the communities to decrease the programming gap to LGBTQ youth. For more information on Seattle Parks GLBTQ Teen Programs, contact Randy. Wiger@seattle.gov or text or phone 206883-6110 or by visiting www.Facebook. com/SeattleParksCOD. Seattle Parks page for teen activities: www.seattle.gov/parks/ teens.
CAPTAIN SMARTYPANTS – EMERALD CITY “A PANTY LINE – SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION BECAUSE BROADWAY www.seattlegaysoftball.com ISN’T GAY ENOUGH” On Fridays and Saturdays, May 18, 19, RAINBOW WEDDING NETWORK’S 25, 26, at 8 p.m., at Erickson Theatre (1524 GAY & LESBIAN WEDDING EXPO Harvard Ave.), Captain Smartypants presOn Sunday, May 20, from 1-4 p.m., at the ents “A Panty Line – Because Broadway Crowne Plaza Hotel (1113 Sixth Ave.), the Isn’t Gay Enough.” Limited seating avail- Rainbow Wedding Network’s 4th Annual able. www.flyinghouse.org. Seattle Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo will feature over 30 local wedding professionals, SEATTLE CHEESE FESTIVAL as well as professionals representing travel, PIKE PLACE MARKET gift, legal, real estate and family-related MAY 19-20 industries. The event will include music, www.seattlecheesefestival.com ceremonies, tips, samples and giveaways. A representative from Equal Rights WashUNIVERSITY DISTRICT ington will discuss the upcoming campaign STREET FAIR to Approve Referendum 74. The event is MAY 19-20 free to attend; a $5 donation is requested. To www.udistrictstreetfair.org RSVP, visit www.samelovesamerights.com. TACOMA ART MUSEUM – “HIDE/SEEK: DIFFERENCE AND DESIRE IN AMERICAN PORTRAITURE” THROUGH JUNE 10 The Tacoma Art Museum (1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) presents the groundbreaking exhibit, “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture,” that debuted at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in 2010 and is the first major exhibition to address the question of how gender identity and sexual orientation have shaped the creation of modern American portraiture. 253272-4258; www.tacomaartmuseum.org. PHOTO CENTER NW – “AUTHOR AND SUBJECT: CONTEMPORARY QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY”
BITE ON BROADWAY & MUSIC WALK On Sunday, May 20, from 3-7 p.m., sample food bites (up to $3 per bite) from over twenty participating restaurants on Broadway between E. Roy St. and E. Pike St., and enjoy music by local artists. Punch cards listing participating restaurants and businesses are available at participating businesses. Sponsored by the Broadway Business Owners Association. www.facebook. com/BBOAEvents. SEATTLE RAINBOW CONTRA DANCE On Sunday, May 20, free lesson at 3 p.m., dance from 3:30-6 p.m., at Dance Underground (340 15th Ave. E.), join Seattle Rainbow Contra Dance for an afternoon of live music and gender-free dancing for LG-
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BTQ folks and friends and all who want to dance. May 20 features the music of Jesse Partridge & Jay Finkelstein from Olympia. Mariah Pepper calls. $10 general admission. “HATS, HATS, HATS” – LA FEMME MAGNIFIQUE WASHINGTON PAGEANT On Sunday, May 20, door at 6 p.m., pageant at 7 p.m., at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway, entrance in alley between Broadway and Harvard Ave. E., off E. Pike St.) Darcelle XV and Gaysha Starr present the 2012 La Femme Magnifique Washington Pageant, “Hats, Hats, Hats!” Tickets: $15. Partial proceeds to benefit the campaign to Approve Referendum 74 Marriage Equality in Washington State. For contest information and advance tickets, email Gaysha@gayshastarr.com. THE AVENGERS, PANSY DIVISION AND GUESTS On Tuesday, May 22, at 9:30 p.m., the Funhouse (206 5th Ave. N.) presents Penelope Houston/The Avengers, a seminal San Francisco punk band, and Pansy Division, the openly Gay rock band founded in San Francisco in 1991, and guests. Tickets: $10-advance, $12-day of show. www. brownpapertickets.com/event/239939. SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – ARE YOU MY MOTHER? 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.). May selection is Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel (author of Fun Home). All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this free book club. For more information email nickdimartin@earthlink.net, visit http://faculty.washington.edu/swittet/ SGLBookClub/ or contact SASG at 206322-2437; www.sasgcc.org. For discount on cost of books, email Nick. “DRAG NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA” AT SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE On Thursday, May 24, door at 6:30 p.m., show at 7-9 p.m. the SSCC College Club Center presents their 5th annual “Drag Night Extravaganza” at the Jerry M. Brockey Student Center, SSCC (6000 16th Ave. SW). Students, faculty, staff and the community will join host Regine Dynasty St. James and the College Club Center for a night of gender-bending entertainment for all ages, with a special performance by Kutt ‘N’ Up. There will be door prizes and fun activities throughout the evening. $5 suggested donation. “AN ELEGANT EVENING WITH A TWIST” – A CENTER FOR SEX POSITIVE CULTURE EVENT FOR CROSSDRESSERS On Friday, May 25, the Center for Sex Positive Culture (1602 15th Ave. W.) hosts a celebration of crossdressing and deliberate gender presentation: Male to Female, Female to Male, Butch to Femme, Femme to Butch, Genderqueer, Genderfluid, Minimalist, or Over The Top! There will be a Social, Salon and Clothing Exchange from 7-9 p.m. A representative from a skin care, makeup and body care company will be coming to teach a class on makeup application, color matching, and more. Everyone is encouraged to bring a few articles of clothing, makeup and/or hair products, etc., to share with others. In the past, there have been wigs and facial hair to share as well. The Party will be held from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. The lights will be turned down and the event is open to socializing, dancing and romantic encounters. This event is open to adults (18+) of all self-identifications and orientations. CSPC membership is not required. COST: Salon only: $10 for CSPC members, $15 for nonmembers; Salon and Party: $20 for CSPC members, $30 for non-members. The Center for Sex Positive Culture (CSPC) is an adult (18+) members-only community center with a focus on sex posi-
May 18, 2012
tive culture and the sex positive community. It is a non-smoking, drug and alcohol free space for people to explore sexuality in a physically and emotionally safe environment. For more information about this event and other events offered at CSPC, visit www.sexpositiveculture.org. NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL MAY 25-28 www.nwfolklife.org TRIANGLE RECREATION CAMP AT BENDER CREEK – THE MILITARY PARTY WEEKEND MAY 25-28 www.camptrc.org PRIDE IDOL 2012 On Sundays through June 10 (no Pride Idol May 20), doors at 6 p.m. (with open community karaoke), contest at 8 p.m., at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway), join Seattle Out & Proud and your hostess Gaysha Starr for Pride Idol 2012, Seattle’s annual LGBT Pride karaoke contest – weekly $100 cash prize; $1000 grand prize. For complete details and to register for the contest, visit www.seattlepride.org/prideidol. No cover charge to watch. “BEYOND THE THRESHOLD” – SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL JUNE 1-10 www.seattleidf.org CALL FOR ART – “PORTRAITS OF PRIDE 2012” JUNE 23-JULY 22 What does our creative community look like? How do you see yourself when you close your eyes? From June 23-July 22, Gay City (517 E. Pike St., at Belmont), hosts “Portraits of Pride 2012” and you are invited to be a part of it. Whether you prefer to express yourself in photographic detail or to abstract your personality in visual form, this show will bring together the many faces of the LGBTQ community in celebration of LGBTQ Pride! Pacific Northwest LGBTQ artists (18 years of age and older) are invited to submit self-portraits to be included in this upcoming exhibit. All forms of art are welcome. If you are interested in participating in the show, please send the following items as attachments to Cody Blomberg at codyblomberg@gmail.com. Bio or artist statement, including phone number, email and mailing address; 1 to 3 jpeg images of the work to be included in the exhibition, with title and dimensions; if the work is not yet complete, please send images of past work and a timeline for completion. Deadline for emailed application is Sunday, June 10. Deadline for art delivery is Wednesday, June 20. If a work is purchased during the show, Gay City requests a 30% commission donation in support of their Project BuildOUT. Gay City will host a “Portraits of Pride 2012” Artists’ Reception as part of their larger Project BuildOUT Open(ing) House Brunch on Saturday, June 23, from 11 a.m.2 p.m. Gay City is in the midst of Project BuildOUT, creating a new 8,500 sq ft home to be occupied this coming June. This new space will embody the growth that Gay City has experienced in recent years, growth that is also reflected in their newly revised mission to “promote wellness in LGBT communities by providing health services, connecting people to resources, fostering arts and building community.” Gay City’s new space will include a 750 sq ft multi-purpose performance space that will provide an organizing center for LGBT artists and Queer Arts in Seattle. This new space will exponentially increase Gay City’s capacity for collaborating with LGBT artists across a range of disciplines, including theatre, film, spoken word, music, visual arts, workshops and community meetings. “Portraits of Pride 2012” will be the very first installation in the new arts space.
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is a secular state and civil servants must exercise the principle of “religious neutrality” in their judgments. It is understood that the ruling would have applied equally regardless of whether the priest’s partner had been male or female. While a civil partnership bill introduced by President Álvaro Uribe was defeated in 2007 in the Colombian Congress, the court has repeatedly ruled and intervened in favor of LGBT rights for same-sex couples. But this is the first time a court has granted pension rights to a same-sex couple consisting of a priest and a layperson. CASTRO’S NIECE PRAISES OBAMA’S SUPPORT FOR MARRIAGE Cuba’s most prominent LGBT rights activist praised U.S. President Barack Obama after he came out in support of equal marriage rights for Gay couples. Pink News reports that Mariela Castro, niece of ex-President Fidel Castro and daughter of current President Raul Castro, said she hoped Obama’s announcement, making him the first sitting U.S. president to support marriage equality, would have legislative repercussions around the world. According to the AP, in her role as head of the National Center for Sex Education, Castro said that Obama’s position was “humane [and] understanding, in which he even recognizes that he too has been changing his opinion in favor of marriage, the free union of same-sex couples.” Under Fidel Castro’s nearly five-decade rule, many Gay men suffered in Cuban labor camps as the regime “re-educated” homosexuals, with same-sex attraction seen as a symptom of capitalist decadence. Castro believed that hard work would rid the men of their “counter-revolutionary tendencies.” But in 2010 he admitted that he was wrong, saying his persecution of Gays was “a great injustice.” courtesy News Group Newspapers Ltd
putting up stickers in east London declaring it a “Gay free zone,” has been jailed for possessing material from the terrorist group al-Qaeda. Hasnath had copies of the group’s Inspire by Scott Wittet magazine on a memory stick, AP reports. SGN Contributing Writer He was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment under the U.K.’s Terrorism Act. Hasnath, 19, was also given a concurrent one-month sentence for painting burkas (full body coverings) over images of women in deodorant ads. Last year Hasnath was fined £100 plus £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after he put up the stickers, which showed a rainbow flag with a black line through it and the words “Gay free zone.” Above the flag was printed “Arise and Warn” and below it read “And fear Allah: Verily Allah is severe in punishment.” The stickers caused outrage in the local community, with one Jewish resident saying it reminded him of Nazi signs his mother had faced in the 1930s declaring an area a “Jew free zone.” Others said it made them fearful for their safety. When told of the allegation that he had been using threatening or abusive words or behavior, Hasnath reportedly said, “But I just put up stickers, I didn’t harass or swear at anybody or anything.” Hasnath, who was representing himself, pleaded guilty to the offense. When asked by District Judge Jeremy Coleman what he had to say for himself, Hasnath replied, “Basically, some people just handed them to me so I just put them up. I didn’t say anything, it doesn’t say that I am Mariela Castro going to punish them, it just says what God EX-ALTAR BOY BEAT LOVER of Melbourne that many recruits were still says in the Quran. Having already spent 206 days in custody TO DEATH; EXCUSE: concerned about serving openly. ‘KILL SEX OFFENDERS’ Two years ago, five ADF personnel, in- pending today’s ruling, Hasnath is expected Gay Star News reports that a court in cluding army psychologist Paul Morgan, to be released soon. London heard how 28-year-old Christopher were outed on a Facebook page for makHunnisett from Hastings, in southern Eng- ing what the page called “a filthy lifestyle land, claimed he had been the victim of sex decision.” The page was created by former abuse and wanted to rid the world of sex of- soldier Marcus Andrew Georgiou to expose fenders. current and former soldiers for being what So he beat Peter Bick, 57, to death with a he called “bum bandits.” hammer even though there was no evidence Australian media report that the page also that Bick was a pedophile. Hunnisett then had links to violent and pornographic Youwent to a nearby police station and con- Tube videos showing Gay men being exfessed to the killing. ecuted. Bick and Hunnisett had met online and Georgiou was acquitted after a court started a sexual relationship. found him to be suffering from post-trauHunnisett had already been convicted matic stress disorder, due to his having seen of a previous murder in 2002, again of an a fellow soldier fall to his death in the Soloalleged pedophile, the Rev. Ronald Glaze- mon Islands. brook, 81. The army merely placed a note on the files He had known the priest, whom he had of the 31 serving members who accessed the met through church, since his youth and had website, a punishment that was “less than a later become a tenant in the priest’s home. slap on the wrist,” said John Harvey, a lawHunnisett initially claimed he had found yer for the victims. This outcome, he added, Glazebrook dead in the bathroom, pan- was “symptomatic of indifference to Gay icked, and then dismembered and disposed hate language in the army.” of his body. He later changed his story to say he COSTA RICAN VICE PRESIDENTS punched the vicar for trying to grope him in ENDORSE EQUAL RIGHTS the bathroom, and asserted that Glazebrook FOR GAY COUPLES then fell in the bathtub and died. The two vice presidents of Costa Rica, An appeals court acquitted him in Sep- Alfio Piva and Luis Liberman, said recently tember 2010, after he had served eight that Gay couples deserve the same rights as years, when Hunnisett alleged that the cleric heterosexuals, though they stopped short of Mohammed Hasnath sexually abused him throughout his teens. endorsing equal marriage. COLOMBIA: PARTNER OF Just four months after he was acquitted, The two men also oppose Gay adoption GAY CATHOLIC PRIEST Hunnisett killed Bick. rights, but they said Gay people should have WINS PENSION RIGHTS After being found guilty of Bick’s murder, the same rights regarding inheritance, social The Gay partner of a deceased CathoHunnisett tried to flee the courtroom, but security, and loan applications. The presiwas prevented from doing so by guards. dent of the country, Laura Chinchilla, has lic priest has been told he will receive his not commented on the issue, merely saying lover’s pension, despite the cleric’s vow of AUSTRALIAN VICTIMS OF that it isn’t currently a priority for the gov- chastity. The Constitutional Court of Colombia FACEBOOK HATE GROUP ernment. SUE MILITARY Two years ago, Costa Rica’s constitution- found in favor of the partner, who lived with Just as Australia marks the 20th anniver- al court blocked a referendum that would the priest for 28 years before his death in sary of allowing Gay men and Lesbians to have allowed voters to decide on civil part- 2009. The court dismissed the rulings of previserve openly in the military, the victims of nerships for Gay couples. This contrasts a Facebook hate page that outed and threat- with countries like Uruguay and Colombia, ous judges who accepted the argument that the deceased was a sworn Catholic priest ened Gay service members have filed a law- where civil unions are legal. who took a vow of chastity and that benefits suit over the army’s handling of the scandal, therefore should be denied, as he broke this according to Pink News. MAN WHO PUT UP ‘GAY FREE vow. Australia lifted the ban on Gay service in ZONE’ POSTERS IN LONDON Instead the court ruled that for all legal in1992. However, Stuart O’Brien, an advoSENTENCED FOR HAVING tents and purposes, same-sex couples concate for Gay soldiers in the Australian DeAL-QAEDA MATERIAL fence Force (ADF), told The Sunday Age Mohammed Hasnath, the man fined for stitute a family. It also stated that Colombia
CHILE PASSES HATE CRIME BILL FOLLOWING GAY MAN’S MURDER In the wake of a national outcry over the homophobic killing of a young man, the Chilean Congress has approved an anti-discrimination bill that outlaws discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation, according to Pink News. The bill had languished in Congress for over seven years, but was finally fasttracked for approval by President Sebastian Pinera and cleared its final hurdle with a 25-3 vote in the Senate. The anti-discrimination measure had been blocked by religious groups, who contended that it would constitute the first step toward “Gay
marriage.” The killing of Daniel Zamudio earlier this year by a neo-Nazi group provoked national soul-searching in Chile. Zamudio was attacked on March 3, and sustained severe head injuries and a broken leg. His body was covered in cigarette burns and carved swastika symbols. He died three weeks later, and thousands attended his funeral in Santiago. Four men have been arrested and prosecutors will be pressing for murder charges, it is reported. Chilean Sen. Alberto Espina said in a statement: “It’s an enormous culture change for our country. … Chile is a country that discriminates a lot for being [indigenous] Mapuche, for being Gay, for your nationality, for having disabilities. We have to acknowledge this and not sweep it under the carpet.”
Celebrating 39 Years!
Iran plans to hang four for ‘sodomy’ by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Iran has sentenced four men to hang for “sodomy,” according to reports from the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA). The four have been identified by HRANA as Saadat Arefi, Vahid Akbari, Javid Akbari, and Houshmand Akbari. It is not specified whether the three Akbaris are related. They are said to be from the town of Choram, in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. The death sentence was reportedly confirmed by Iran’s highest court. The term “sodomy” is used to translate the Farsi word lavat, which implies unlawful same-sex intercourse. In the past, Iran has sometimes charged Gay men with rape or assault, rather than lavat. The British Gay Star News quotes an Iranian Gay activist, “Although being Gay is not a crime based on Iranian criminal law, this is the most clear statement against same sex-acts in past months.” He added that “there were four other men hanged in the past five months.’” According to reports in the British newspaper The Guardian, Iranian religious authorities have stepped up attacks on the country’s LGBT community recently. Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli, an influential Islamic scholar based in Iran’s holy city of Qom, said Gays are “worse than dogs and pigs” in a speech last month. “If a society commits a new sin, it will face a new punishment,” Javadi-Amoli added, according to The Guardian’s translation of a report by the Iranian news website Khabaronline. “Problems like AIDS did not exist before.” Gorji Marzban, chair of the Austrian-based Oriental Queer Organization (ORQOA) told Gay Star News that the death sentence was intended as a public threat to every Iranian who might question Sharia-based patriarchy. “The rhetoric of announcement makes the link between same-sex sexual activity, or sodomy, with capital punishment very clear,” Marzban said. “Last month the Iranian authorities hanged a young man and the local news agencies/authorities were intentionally unclear about the reason for the death penalty. In the case of these four men we have a clear
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continued from cover show that all age groups are rethinking their position.” And he notes that people’s attitudes have moved within the GOP on whether to provide “basic legal” protections to Gay people, with a proposed shift in language about understanding rights. Van Lohuizen told GOP operatives a review of public polling shows that up to 2009, support for Gay marriage increased at a rate of 1% per year. Starting in 2010, the increase in support accelerated to 5% per year. The most recent public polling shows supporters of Gay marriage outnumber opponents by a margin of roughly 10% (an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll in February/March found 49% in support, 40% opposed). “People who believe in equality under the law as a fundamental principle, as I do, will agree that this principle extends to Gay and Lesbian couples. Gay and Lesbian couples should not face discrimination and their relationship should be protected under the law,” said van Lohuizen.
text attributing the reason for hanging is sodomy. “The judicial denial of same-sex relationships in Iran stems from its relationship to Sharia law and patriarchy. This is a warning signal not only for the queer population of Iran but also for all … who have sexual relations outside marriage,” including heterosexuals, Marzban added. “I am horrified and saddened to have heard the news about these four men,” Iranian human rights lawyer Mehri Jafari, who now lives in London, told Gay Star News. “Not only with regard to the execution which is about to take place, but the fact that it is beyond our control.” Jafari said that the remote location of the men’s hometown made it difficult for outsiders to influence their fate. “There are two important issues in this case: the location of the alleged occurrence and the interpretation of the Sharia law that a hodud (strict Sharia punishment) is eminent,” he said. “Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad is one of the most undeveloped provinces in Iran and it is obvious that a lack of access to lawyers and a fair trial can be considered a serious issue in this case. After this announcement it is very likely that the execution will be carried out soon, and the remote location makes it difficult to exert any influence on the process.” “I hope international organizations act quickly and effectively on this specific case,” Jafari added. Reports of the impending execution of the four Gay men coincide with the release of a new report, “LGBT Republic of Iran: An Online Reality?” by the website Smallmedia.org. “If I said I saw myself as being part of this society, I’d be telling the biggest lie of my life,” one contributor writes in the report. “That’s because of my homosexuality and the Iranian people’s mentality about homosexuality. I usually refer to Iran as ‘your country’ instead of ‘my country’ or ‘our country.’” The contributor, identified only as a 26-year-old Gay man from Bandar Anzali on the Caspian Sea, added, “Words can’t describe how important the Internet is for me ... Because I live in a really small city, where the homosexual community is very secretive. The only way for me is the Internet.”
that freedom means freedom for everyone,” concluded van Lohuizen’s memo. “This includes the freedom to decide how you live and to enter into relationships of your choosing – the freedom to live without excessive interference of the regulatory force of government.” Van Lohuizen’s memo to GOP operatives comes at a time when, for the third year in a row, a Gallup poll found that U.S. acceptance of Gay and Lesbian relations is the new “normal.” According to data released May 14 by Gallup, a slight majority of American adults, 54%, consider same-sex relations morally acceptable. Public acceptance of such relations grew steadily from 38% in 2002 to 56% in 2011, and is now holding at the majority level. This Gallup trend mirrors the growth in public support for legalizing same-sex marriage, which has risen from 42% support in 2004 to 50% or greater support in the past two years. Americans’ support for Gay rights on both questions leveled off in this year’s Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 3-6. Gallup’s longer-term question measuring U.S. attitudes toward Gays asks whether same-sex relations should or should not be legal. The 63% now saying Gay relations should be legal nearly matches the recordhigh 64% of a year ago, which came after a long-term increase in support for legality from 32% in 1986. Across all three questions, women, adults aged 18 to 34, and Democrats are more supportive of Gay rights than men, older adults,
and Republicans. Nonreligious Americans are much more supportive than Christians. Among Christians, Catholics are more supportive than Protestants as a whole. Residents of the South are far less supportive than those in the East, Midwest, and West. In response to another long-term trend question, Gallup finds a close division between those who believe being Gay or Lesbian is a trait a person is born with (40%) and those who say it is due to upbringing and other environmental factors (35%). Americans’ views on the “nature vs. nurture” question have largely held steady over the past decade, but prior to 2001, significantly more Americans believed that homosexuality was a product of upbringing. The bottom line, says Gallup officials, is that “Americans’ acceptance of Gays and Lesbians as equal members of society has increased steadily in the past decade to the point that half or more now agree that being Gay is morally acceptable, that Gay relations ought to be legal, and that Gay or Lesbian couples should have the right to legally marry.” While public support has been trending upward, support on all three measures was slightly higher in 2011 than in the new 2012 poll, suggesting attitudes may be leveling off – at least for the time being. “Significant pockets of resistance remain – namely Republicans, those 55 and older, Protestants, residents of the South, and, in some respects, men – but majorities of other groups have grown comfortable with Gay rights,” reports Gallup.
May 18, 2012
Seattle Gay News 17
“People who disagree on the fundamental nature of marriage can agree, at the same time, that Gays and Lesbians should receive essential rights and protections such as hospital visitation, adoption rights, and health and death benefits.” So what is changing? Van Lohuizen thinks that “as more people have become aware of friends and family members who are Gay, attitudes have begun to shift at an accelerated pace.” “As people who promote personal responsibility, family values, commitment, and stability, and emphasize freedom and limited government, we have to recognize
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Catholic Bishops target FDA panel OKs over the Girl Scouts USA counter home HIV test by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has launched what the Associated Press describes as an “official inquiry” into the organizational affiliations of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. In a letter dated March 28, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne, Indiana, head of the conference’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, said he wanted to identify and resolve all the outstanding issues the church has with the Scouts. Rhoades is best known for his vocal criticism of the University of Notre Dame when it awarded President Obama an honorary degree in 2009. The AP obtained a copy of Rhoades’ letter to his fellow committee members and reported on it May 10. The letter said that “important questions still remain and need to be examined.” Specific areas of concern were not spelled out, however, and church officials declined to elaborate. They said the letter simply seeks further clarification. “There had been some complaints about the Scouts, and the bishops couldn’t turn a deaf ear,” said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokesperson for the bishops. “So they want to know, what’s the story?” The Girl Scouts are a secular organization, but many troops are sponsored by Catholic parishes and therefore must remain in the bishops’ good graces or find other means of support. The Girl Scouts organization said it expects all the questions to be answered to the
bishops’ satisfaction. “We’ve had a strong relationship with the Catholic Church for 98 years,” said Girl Scouts spokesperson Michelle Tompkins. “We don’t expect it to change.” As with the nuns’ group, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the bishops have a long list of complaints against the Girl Scouts, most of them arising from organizational relationships the Scouts have cultivated. Religious conservatives have long objected to the Girl Scouts’ connections with groups like Doctors Without Borders, the Sierra Club, and Oxfam International, which support family planning and emergency contraception. They also do not approve of the Scouts’ global umbrella group, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, which allows girls and women to participate in what it calls “an environment where they can freely and openly discuss issues of sex and sexuality.” They do not approve of the fact that the Girl Scouts – unlike the Boy Scouts – do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, and they are not happy that one troop in Colorado last year welcomed a Transgender scout. Another recent flashpoint was a Marie Claire magazine feature on Girl Scouts CEO Anna Maria Chavez, which was promoted alongside a sex-advice column. The threat that Catholic churches might withdraw support from the Girl Scouts organization is very real. Earlier this year, St. Timothy’s parish in Chantilly, Virginia, ousted 12 troops, affecting 115 girls.
to supplement current HIV screening efforts by providing an accessible, relatively inexpensive device that can be used in the The FDA’s Blood Products Advisory privacy of one’s own home. “This is especially important for minority Committee has given initial approval to an over-the-counter HIV test that can be used communities, where HIV stigma often prevents individuals from utilizing traditional at home. The panel of experts voted unanimously, testing services.” Public testimony at the panel hearing 17-0, to approve the OraQuick In-Home was overwhelmingly favorable. Some 20 HIV Test on May 16. agency representatives testified that The FDA says it will complete the home test would be a the approval process this welcome addition to year. The agency is the HIV testing and not required to folawareness toollow the recombox, particularly mendations of its for women and committees, but people of color it normally does. who are not being The panel said effectively connected the OraQuick test to existing testing programs. was safe and effective, and Some experts expressed concern that its potential to prevent infections outconsumers testing themselves at home weighed the risk of false results. The 20-minute test is 93% accurate for might not use the test correctly, or might positive results and 99.8% for negative, the misinterpret the results. “We are concerned by the data indicatmanufacturer, OraSure Technologies, said. The test allows users to collect samples, ing that when administered by consumers conduct the test, and interpret the results the accuracy of the rapid HIV tests drops to on their own. Test users must swab the 93 percent as compared to 99 percent when outer part of their gums to collect oral fluid conducted by professionals,” testified Kim– which, the manufacturer says, is not the berly Crump, policy officer with the HIV same as saliva – and then insert the swab Medicine Association. Yet, Crump noted, “we still believe the into a vial of developer solution. It is similar to a test approved by the FDA rapid test holds great promise as a self-diin 2004 for use by health care professionals. rected tool for individuals to learn their HIV According to an FDA analysis, in the status. “We also urge continued research and edfirst year of the test’s commercial availability, the OTC test could potentially identify ucation in heavily impacted areas and with 45,000 people living with HIV in the Unit- the low-income and minority populations disproportionately affected by HIV infeced States. The price of the test is not yet known, but tion to determine how the instructions and the company expects it to retail for under accompanying support materials can raise the assurance of the test results closer to the $60. Carl Schmid, deputy director of the AIDS level obtained by professionals.” The FDA panel noted the need for strong, Institute, welcomed the panel’s approval of clear, and concise information in the eduthe home test. “We are always looking for game chang- cational materials that will accompany the ers, and we believe this is one of them,” he test, to minimize human error in testing. The panel was especially concerned with told the Associated Press. “Not only will it help reduce the number the “window period” between HIV expoof infections but it will bring more people sure and the test’s ability to detect infection. In draft test instructions reviewed by the into care and treatment.” The National Minority AIDS Council panel, OraSure indicates users should persaid the new test would be especially ben- form the test at least three months (90 days) after engaging in behavior associated with eficial to communities of color. “Approximately 50,000 individuals in HIV transmission. The FDA approved the Home Access HIV the U.S. are newly infected with HIV each year,” said National Minority AIDS Coun- test in 1996, but that test requires blood cil Director of Legislative and Public Af- samples to be collected at home and then shipped to a laboratory for analysis, with refairs Kali Lindsey. “Even more alarming is the fact that one sults provided by a Home Access telephone in five people living with HIV in America operator. The retail price of the Home Access test is do not know it. The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test would provide an important tool between $30 and $40. by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
“Not only will it help reduce the number of infections but it will bring more people into care and treatment.”
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by Michael Raitt SGN Contributing Writer Dear Michael: Recently there was a death in our community – someone who had one foot in and one foot out of recovery. While I understand that we may never know the real reason a person may choose suicide, it still leaves a lot of sorrow for those of us who are still here and who loved them very much. It is even more shocking for new folks in recovery who tend to bond with each other in that early phase. So my question is, when we talk/text with each other and we say, “I’m fine. I’m good. I’m OK,” are we really? –T. I am sorry for your loss and for the loss that your community is experiencing over this tragic event. Loss implies importance and clearly this individual was very important to many. Not only has your community been impacted, so, too, has this person’s family and friends. Suicide is such a shock and no one is ever prepared. I do not know the specifics of your situation so let me give you some general thoughts. There are two parts to your comment/question.
First, there are many things that influence an individual’s decision whether to disclose their real emotional state. One of the most powerful influencing forces is shame – particularly for those battling in recovery. There is such a stigma and many misconceptions around addiction and relapse. In my opinion, one of the most hurtful mistaken beliefs is about strength and weakness. There are many implicit and explicit messages both in and out of the recovery community that say addiction and relapse are signs of weakness. They are NOT! One is not addicted because one is weak of character, and one does not relapse due to character flaws. (I’ve interjected relapse into this discussion because it is an issue for some, yet I have no idea whether this applies to the person you are referring to.) When an individual wants to disclose their struggles but fears judgment from those important to them, they may choose to say they are OK when they are not. Recovery aside, if you doubt this, think of all the times you have done something or hid something from others because you were afraid of their reactions. We start this pattern very early in life. I’m guilty of it myself – we’ve all done it. When you add
the social disgrace of addiction, it becomes even more complex. Many of us have heard others say something like, “No one really cares when someone asks how we are – they don’t really want to know.” It is a common belief and one that leaves people feeling isolated. When that isolation is exacerbated by other negative feelings, and addiction, there is a potential for one to spiral into a dark hole that might lead to suicide. Second, your comment clearly speaks to the huge impact that suicide has on the people who survive. For any person who is in such a dark spot that suicide seems like the only option, I would encourage them to hold the belief that what they are feeling reflects a mere moment in time, and that as awful as it may be, it will get better. As well, remember there is someone out there who loves you and, if nothing else for the moment, hold on to how important they are to you and how important you are to them. Even if you can’t see it in the moment, know it is true and you will see it down the road. For those who survive, there are always questions, sadness, and sometimes anger. Sometimes we make judgments. Often we are numb and don’t know what to do or think. Anger is fueled by judgment and it keeps you away from the love and how important the person you lost was to you. Eventually, find the love and importance again and never forget them, even under these tragic circumstances. How do we make space for people to open up to us so that if they really are in a dark place, they have someone to go to and will share how they really are? We build relationships over time where people are heard and accepted. We create relationships built on respect and loyalty. Most people know they are being judged – shit, most are judging themselves horribly. We don’t need to add judgment that comes from our own fears, anger, or expectations. I know this sounds airy-fairy but it is true. The act of listening and being there is
very powerful. People who are struggling know they are struggling, and heaping more shame on them isn’t helpful. The act of listening doesn’t mean that listening is all we do. The act of listening means we provide honest feedback and we share our concerns, yet this feedback and these concerns aren’t propelled by anger, hatred, or shame. They are sent with respect and positive regard. To do this, we have to constantly be checking within ourselves about our own feelings and motivations – our fearless moral inventory. For those in recovery – for all of us – let it be a reminder that although suicide is a tremendous loss, what is gained is the knowledge that we need to continue to create relationships where one can speak their truth in the moment and another can make room for that. This is ongoing work. When it happens, one is more likely to feel that when someone asks, “How are you?” that person is really interested, and one can open up with what is really going on for them. Please accept my condolences for the loss of your friend and clearly an important part of your community. Michael Raitt, M.A., L.M.H.C., is a therapist whose column appears bimonthly in SGN. If you would like to comment on this column, ask a question you’d like him to write about, or suggest another topic of interest, please contact him at askingmichael@comcast.net .
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Seattle Gay News 19
chac
continued from cover the basement of the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church. In the years following that small beginning, the Gay and Lesbian community in recovery grew significantly and in response, the Capitol Hill Alano Club was realized. Officially founded in 1982, CHAC is a registered nonprofit that provides meeting space for a variety of recovery and 12 Step programs. Though founded and supported by the LGBT community, CHAC has welcomed all people seeking recovery and currently hosts nearly 60 meetings a week including Al-Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous, and other addiction recovery groups as well as the Seattle Spanish-speaking chapter of A.A., La Esperanza. The Capitol Hill Alano Club is funded entirely through donations, fundraisers, and individual memberships. The organization
is managed by volunteer contributions of time, service, and talents. The club moved five times throughout the Capitol Hill neighborhood, finally planting its roots at 1900 E. Madison St., but on March 22, 2011, a fire set in the course of a burglary left CHAC without a home. “Through tireless efforts of individual club members, alternate meeting places were found for most groups,” CHAC officials told SGN in a written statement. The two largest CHAC meetings moved into space provided by Seattle University. “Since then,” say officials, “some meetings have folded, but many found a home at the Seattle Area Support Group (SASG), formerly known as Dunshee House.” Recovery in the LGBT community continued despite this unforeseen adversity. The CHAC Board of Directors says it is important to acknowledge “the tremendous assistance from Seattle University and SASG during the immediate aftermath of the fire.” At first, the plan was for CHAC to move back to 1900 E. Madison upon completion
of renovation. “However, we also were LGBTQ community.” faced with the financial reality that the curFinally, officials say, “As you trudge the rent lease arrangement was not economical- road to happy destiny on your daily jourly sustainable,” said officials. “The rents be- ney, may the spirit of CHAC live on in you ing collected along with the periodic fund- through your recovery.” raisers were not enough to cover expenses.” Several months ago, the CHAC board engaged a commercial real-estate agent to continued from cover search for a suitable home. The criteria were simple: a location in the heart of Capitol Hill An African-American veteran of the civil with enough room for an 80-person meeting. “We came close to securing such a loca- rights movement – he met his future wife in tion several times,” CHAC officials told jail after a student protest – Clyburn can recall when “states’ rights” was the slogan of SGN, “but were unable to finalize a lease.” During that time, the board also revisited segregation. “In my lifetime it was illegal in some the mission of CHAC. “Part of the discussion was to analyze the states – this state one of them – for black and current status of recovery meetings serving white couples to get married,” said Clyburn, who spoke from his district in South Carothe LGBT community,” said officials. What they found (more than 40 recovery lina. “Sometimes it takes the federal governmeetings each week at SASG and various Capitol Hill churches) is that the mission ment to step into the breach to resolve many of CHAC is being fulfilled. Not in the na- of these issues,” Clyburn added. “It certainly did that through the courts ture that was deemed necessary in the early 1980s – under one roof – but in several safe with the marriage question and it also did the same thing when it comes to whether places within the heart of Capitol Hill. After much contemplation and discussion people of color have the same rights that by individual board members, the CHAC white people have,” he said in reference to Board of Directors unanimously passed the the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision in following resolution at a March 20 board Loving v. Virginia. In that case, the court struck down a Virmeeting: “Recognizing that the LGBTQ community continues to find recovery in the ginia law banning interracial marriage. “The freedom of choice to marry not be Seattle area, the board acknowledges that its mission is being fulfilled by the greater restricted by invidious racial discriminarecovery community. Therefore, a motion is tions” that violate the Constitution’s Equal made to dissolve CHAC as of December 31, Protection Clause, the court said in Loving. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the sec2012.” Upon formal dissolution of CHAC, there ond-ranking House Democrat, endorsed will be some funds remaining. According to marriage equality May 10, the day after officials, “The CHAC board will be fulfill- Obama’s historic interview with ABC’s ing its fiduciary responsibility by designat- Robin Roberts. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi ing how the remaining funds will be distributed after all financial commitments have is a long-time supporter of equal marriage rights and a co-sponsor of the Respect for been settled.” The final distribution of funds will be Marriage Act to repeal DOMA. Pelosi also made “in the spirit of CHAC’s primary mis- signed Freedom to Marry’s “Democrats Say sion of ensuring that LGBT recovery from I Do” letter calling for a marriage equality plank in the Democratic Party’s national addiction continues,” said officials. CHAC’s annual fundraiser, Bat N’ Rouge, platform. has been graciously handed over to SGN’s stewardship. This year’s faceoff between the dykes and the drag queens will take place August 12 at Bobby Morris Playfield continued from cover and will benefit Washington United for Marriage, the campaign to secure marriage According to U.S. Centers for Disease equality in Washington State. Control and Prevention estimates, some 1.2 As CHAC’s final chapter is written, of- million people in the U.S. are living with ficials have a message to the community: HIV, and there are about 50,000 new cases “Please remember with gratitude the brave each year. souls who brought CHAC to life, along Gilead projects that the target group of with the countless hours of the many tire- healthy people who would be eligible to less volunteers who kept CHAC alive, the take Truvada as a PrEP drug is in the tens of community at large who has supported our thousands. The cost of a PrEP program usefforts through the years, and most of all, ing Truvada is estimated at $14,000 per year. the simple fact that CHAC saved lives in the Researchers first reported that Truvada
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could prevent people from contracting HIV in 2010. The three-year iPrEx study found that daily doses cut the risk of infection in healthy Gay and Bisexual men by 44%, when accompanied by condoms and counseling. Another study found that Truvada reduced infection by 75% in heterosexual couples in which one partner was HIV-positive and the other was not. Sparks debate The FDA panel’s decision sparked debate among medical professionals and HIV/ AIDS activists, with some calling it a “watershed” moment in the fight against AIDS and others urging the FDA to “slow down.” “This brings us closer to a watershed for global HIV prevention efforts,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of the Aids Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, after the vote. “If we’re going to reduce the more than 50,000 new HIV infections in this country each year, we need to increase the available options for people,” said Ronald Johnson, vice president of AIDS United. “I fear that men will take the drug inconsistently, have a false sense of security, and increase risky behavior,” said AIDS Health-
care Foundation spokesperson Joey Terrill. “We need to slow down. I care too much about my community not to speak my concerns.” Critics of the panel’s decision fear Truvada might become a “party drug” that atrisk individuals would take only when they expected to have sex. Intermittent use of the drug, medical experts said, would not only decrease its effectiveness dramatically, but might contribute to the emergence of drugresistant strains of HIV. “Truvada needs to be taken every day, 100% of the time, and my experience as a registered nurse tells me that won’t happen,” Karen Haughey, R.N., told the FDA panel. “In my eight years, not one patient that I’ve cared for has been 100% adherent.” Others worried that at-risk individuals might abandon condoms, which are considered a very effective method of preventing HIV infection, for a less effective drug. AIDS activist Elizabeth Nash told the FDA panel she thought that 44% effectiveness was too low for an intervention that was intended to be preventive. “It’s hard to think of other preventive measures such as birth control or vaccines
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where 44% relative efficacy is deemed ef- King County Public Health HIV/STD profective,” she said. gram, told SGN, “Look, to have more options is a good thing. Whether this will actuIs Truvada right for me? ally result in fewer infections is not clear.” Local health care providers were cauGolden agreed with Swanson that “for tiously optimistic about the prospects of a some people [Truvada] is probably a good new PrEP drug. option.“ Acknowledging that “PrEP is a compliWhen asked for what population it would cated option for people,” and that “it’s not be a desirable option, Golden answered, a great option for everyone,” Gay City Ex- “Mostly men who have sex with men – ecutive Director Fred Swanson observed those at high risk – but those who will relithat “the research is pretty clear that it can ably take the meds every day.” prevent new infection.” “The relatively low efficacy – 44% effecGay City has provided HIV testing, coun- tive – in the iPrEx study is at least partially seling, and prevention programs in Seattle due to poor adherence to the once-a-day since 1995. regimen,” he added. A successful PrEP regimen “first requires Golden said one important piece of PrEP access to the medication and then requires therapy is being left out of the current cona person to actually take the pills as pre- troversy. scribed,” Swanson told SGN. “If we’re going to use these drugs in this “[W]e’re supportive of the forward mo- way,” he told SGN, “we need to have the inmentum on PrEP and hope that more re- frastructure to support people in using them search is done on long-term side effects, ac- as prescribed. We need providers who are cess issues, and ways to support people who committed to counseling, to education, to have chosen this option. While it may not follow-up – who aren’t just going to write be right for everyone, it could make a huge a prescription and then that’s the end of it. difference in the lives of people for whom it “This is not in place at present, but it could is a good option.” be put in place,” he added. Dr. Matt Golden, Director of the Seattle“The other big question,” Golden continued, “is whether insurance will pay for it. Right now it looks like insurance companies will pay, but there’s only a small number of people using [Truvada] in this way. If we see large numbers of people asking for the drug, will they still be committed?”
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