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Celebrating 41 Years! Issue 22 Volume 42
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
NOM asks SCOTUS for stay of Oregon marriage ruling Justice Kennedy delays decision, marriages continue Slocum, AP
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy asked for briefs to be filed after NOM requested an emergency stay of a federal judge’s ruling striking down Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage. Kennedy, the Supreme Court Justice who supervises federal courts in Oregon, made his request on May 28. He gave NOM and the Gay and Lesbian couples who are plaintiffs in the original suit until 1:00 p.m. on June 2 to submit their briefs. Until Kennedy makes a decision on NOM’s request, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane’s decision remains in force, and Gay and Lesbian couples may continue to marry in Oregon. Both McShane and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected NOM’s petitions to intervene in the Oregon case. McShane ruled on May 19 that Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage violated the equal protection and due process rights of Gay and Lesbian
couples. The State of Oregon did not defend the law, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum having stated that she agrees the law is unconstitutional and should no longer be enforced. NOM asked SCOTUS (the Supreme Court of the United States) to stay McShane’s ruling on May 27. “We are asking Justice Kennedy and the U.S. Supreme Court to take the step of staying the decision of Judge McShane so that NOM can pursue its request to intervene in the case in order to mount a defense of the people’s vote for marriage,” NOM chairman John Eastman said in a statement. “This case is an ugly spectacle of the state refusing to defend the sovereign act of its voters to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman and instead working jointly with the plaintiffs to redefine marriage.” Kennedy’s decision may turn on whether NOM has standing to defend the Oregon law. In other see Oregon page 9
Thor Swift for The New York Times
Truvada, a drug used to treat H.I.V., costs around $1,500 a month
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The National Health Law Program and The AIDS Institute filed a federal complaint on May 29 against four insurance companies, saying that the firms discriminate against HIV/AIDS patients. CoventryOne, Cigna, Humana, and Preferred Medical were named in the complaint filed with
the Civil Rights Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). All four insurance companies offer plans in Florida through the online exchange set up under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The complaint says that the companies require HIV-positive patients to pay a percentage of the price of their antiretrovirals instead of a flat co-pay, as required
for other kinds of drugs. The result is that HIV patients might spend thousands of dollars out of pocket for necessary medicine. For example, the complaint charges that CoventryOne charges consumers a 40% co-pay for the cost of all HIV drugs, including generics, after a $1,000 deductible. “That would be about $1,000 per month per drug in most instances. What patient could afford that?” said Carl Schmid, deputy executive director of The AIDS Institute. Healthcare advocates warn that high costs cause patients to skip doses or go off their medications altogether, causing serious health complications. The complaint also said that the four insurance companies charged high up-front costs and imposed unwieldy prior authorization requirements on HIV-positive patients. “Plans do not want to be the preferred plan for people with HIV and AIDS. They do not want that reputation ... plans are going to be restructuring their benefit redesign and emulating what these bad
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
Health organizations file complaint Pride Foundation awards against insurance companies over scholarship money U.S. Senator Patty Murray speaks at event HIV/AIDS coverage
U.S. Senator Patty Murray
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Since the founding of its Scholarship Program in 1993, Pride Foundation has supported more than 1,200 student leaders from the Northwest, with over $3 million in scholarships to ensure students can see HIV/AIDS page 20 pursue their educational dreams.
Pride Foundation scholars are selfidentified LGBTQ youth, members of LGBTQ families, or straight allies who have been strongly supportive of the LGBTQ community. This year, nearly $400,000 has been awarded to 105 students. On Wednesday, Pride Foundation see Scholarship page 7
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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Godwin’s Universal Law by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer I will start this article with an undisputed truth: the Nazis were evil. As rulers of Germany and conquerors of most of Europe, Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist German Workers’ Party killed tens of millions of human beings. Though they are most infamous for their genocidal murder of six million European Jews (in the Shoah or Holocaust) the Nazis also combined prejudice with power in the extermination of countless Roma Gypsies, Slavs, LGBT people, people with physical or mental disabilities, political dissidents, Allied troops and anyone else whom they did not like (which included almost everybody). Hitler’s “Thousand Year Reich” (thankfully shortened to twelve years) set a standard for totalitarianism matched only by the Communist regimes of Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong. Almost 70 years after the end of World War II, Hitler and the Nazis are remembered as the epitome of evil, just as WWII itself is still referred to as “The War.” The survival of Nazis in the uneasy memory of humanity as hateful people who we all hate, make them ideal movie villains. Nazis are also part of our vocabulary; not only to describe certain people with certain beliefs, but as a way to attack people and things we oppose or just do not like. We refer to this phenomenon as Godwin’s Law. Named after Mike Godwin, who coined the concept in 1990, Godwin’s Law asserts that “as a Usernet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.” In other words, if a debate goes on long enough, sooner or later someone will
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compare someone or something to Hitler or the Nazis. Originally limited to Internet discussions, Godwin’s Law now applies to all kinds of human communication, whether they be spoken, written, or otherwise. Godwin’s Law is a universal law. Sooner or later we all break that law. Mr. X has political views different from mine? He must be a Nazi! Ms. Y belongs to a group I don’t like? She must be as bad as Hitler! Hardly a day goes by when one person does not compare another person to the leaders of the Third Reich. Just open a newspaper, turn on a television set or go online and you will find Godwin’s Law in action. Recently, Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield, criticizing the Affordable Care Act, noted that “Democrats bragging about the number of mandatory sign-ups for Obamacare is like Germans bragging about the number of mandatory sign-ups for ‘train rides’ for Jews in the ‘40s.” Saginaw, Michigan Councilman Dan Fitzpatrick compared supporters of an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance to “a real big youth movement in Germany called the party of National Socialists.” Britain’s Prince Charles, speaking to a woman who lost relatives in the Holocaust, declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is doing just about the same as Hitler.” And Canterbury, England Chef Gemma Calver took Godwin’s Law to a ridiculous extreme when she accused litter wardens of using “Gestapo tactics” when they fined her for dropping a cigarette butt on the street. As originally defined, Godwin’s Law came with a penalty: whoever brought up
Hitler or the Nazis lost the online debate. Unfortunately, people can now freely use Nazi metaphors with impunity, though they might apologize if the resulting uproar is loud enough. Godwin’s Law is ecumenical, and is as easily broken by the political Right as by the political Left. The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan brought about as many N-Bombs (to quote David Weigel) as real ones: Neocons called Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein “the new Hitler” while anti-war activists compared the Bush administration to the Third Reich. Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh screams about “feminazis”; tea baggers think Barack Obama is a Führer; progressives compare Karl Rove or the Koch Brothers to Heinrich Himmler or Joseph Goebbels; and speakers from all over the political spectrum fume with thoughts of concentration camps whenever someone dares to hold an opinion different from their own. To which I say, STOP! There was only one Adolf Hitler. There was only one Nazi Party. What Hitler and the Nazis did was uniquely evil, not only because of all the people who they killed, but also because they put into practice the disgusting belief that some people are inherently inferior to others, and thus deserved to die. By calling the person who gave me a traffic ticket, watched over me too closely at work, or even opposed something that I passionately value a Nazi, I insult the memory of all the women, men and children who were brutally killed because Adolf Hitler ordered it. There are many ways that we can express our opposition or contempt for someone without resorting to the N-Bomb.
Celebrating 41 Years!
Compiled by Doug Hamilton SGN Contributing Writer and by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
ture DJ Dana Dub and DJ Pavone playing City’s Calamus Auditorium (517 E. Pike St.) the best dance mixes from 4-9 on Sunday, Admission is free. All attendees are invited to a June 1st, in what promises to be a thrilling discussion of the film after the screening. Sunday funday tea dance. Original Timberline (2015 Boren Ave.) www.facebook.com/ Friday, JUNE 6 - Saturday, JUNE 28 events/512308755540625 Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata by Terrence McNally Sunday, JUNE 1 Theatre22’s First Annual Summer Pride Lez Stand Up (See May 30 for details.) Series production runs Thursdays through Saturdays, with industry night performance Sunday, JUNE 1 Monday, June 23, at 8 p.m. and two matinees Seattle Pride Idol Contest: Wild Card Saturdays June 21 & June 28 at 2:30 p.m., at Come watch Seattle Pride Idol’s 10 runners- Richard Hugo House (1634 11th Ave.). Tickup compete for an opportunity to advance to the ets $22 general; $14 student/senior/military; Finale on June 8th. Doors 7 p.m., contest 8 p.m. $10 TPS, with $10 minimum pay-whatNeighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway). Big you-can industry night tickets on Thursdays prizes for contestants and audience giveaways! and Monday, June 23. www.theatre22.org or FREE admission. 21+. www.seattlepride.org www.brownpapertickets.com/event/575647.
Sunday, JUNE 8 Seattle Gay Day of Service – Capitol Hill Clean Sweep Want to help your community and have fun at the same time? This year, PrideFest’s Gay Day of Service and Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce’s Clean Sweep join together for a big clean-up of Capitol Hill streets. Meet at 10 a.m. at the Cal Anderson Park Shelter House (11th Ave. and E. Olive St.) Breakfast and coffee provided by Starbucks and lunch by local Capitol Hill eateries will be served to volunteers. Entertainment will be provided and every volunteer will receive a T-shirt to commemorate the event. All cleaning supplies provided. You just need to show up! www. caphillchamber.org; www.eventbrite.com/e/ capitol-hill-clean-sweep-tickets-11246210719
Saturday, JUNE 7 Word Play: A Spoken Word Poetry Festival Join Gay City for the third annual Word Play festival, a one-day spoken word festival from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Calamus Auditorium at Gay City (517 E. Pike St.) including two workshops, a performance, and an artists reception. Word Play is a collaborative effort to explore recovery from a Queer perspective. The workshop leaders will share their expertise and encourage participants to explore their own recovery experiences through spoken word. Seven poets from different recovery backgrounds will take the mic to speak truth about bottoming out, getting back up and moving on. Consi, Dorothy Frances Kent, Kristina Armenakis, Okanomode, Stephanie Van Streefkerk, Tara Hardy, and That SeattleGuy will perform at 7 p.m., followed by an artists’ reception. FREE. Complete details and poet biographies at www.gaycity.org/wordplay.
Sunday, JUNE 8 South Park Gay Pride Picnic From 1-4 p.m., at Duwamish Waterway Park (7900 10th Ave. S. at S. Elmgrove St.) on the river, there will be free hot dogs and veggie dogs for the first 200 people. Performers include local South Park Queer/ Punk/Rock/Blues/Surf band “Gnarlene and the Frisky Pigs” who will play songs from their new album, Party on Uranus, followed by the sultry Latin styles of Alma y Azucar, from bossa nova to salsa to tango. The last hour will feature DJ Luis V from the popular Noche Latina at Neighbours playing for several performers: Isabella and Jennifer will dazzle us with their passion and drag attire, Chucho will mesmerize us with his belly dance moves, and White Center native Sarey Savy will have us on our feet with his original pop/dance songs. South Park Arts Council will have a kid-friendly arts and crafts table, and the South Park Branch library will feature books on LGBTQ issues in English and Spanish. We are partnering again with Entre Hermanos, a 501(c) (3) non-profit, that has been such a great supporter of the picnic, and our sponsors include: Entre Hermano, Burdick Brewing, Central Co-op/Madison Market, City of Seattle Arts and Culture, ForSalby’s, Jeff Hayes/Drummer-Boy.org, Little Rae’s Bakery, RT Brokerage, the Rose Street Garden Club, and Seattle Gay News. www.facebook. com/events/280392392121121 or email Randy at gaypridesouthpark@hotmail.com
ONGOING (thru JULY 6) Revealing Queer MOHAI (Museum of History & Industry) proudly presents Revealing Queer, a landmark exhibit exploring how the Puget Sound LGBTQ community has grown, changed, become more visible, and worked towards equality. Informed throughout by the lived experiences of this incredibly diverse population, the exhibit traces its history from an emerging underground group in the years before the Stonewall Riots of 1969, to the large and politically active community that helped make marriage equality law in Washington State in 2012. MOHAI (860 Terry Ave.) Tickets: $14-adults; $12 Tuesday, JUNE 3 students/seniors/military. First Thursday is Celebrate the 10-Year Anniversary of FREE. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays Equal Rights Washington until 8 p.m. www.mohai.org 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Bertha Knight Landes Room, Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave. (EnFriday, MAY 30 - Sunday, JUNE 1 ter on 5th Ave. side.) Tickets $20 online at Lez Stand Up http://erwtenth.brownpapertickets.com/ Lez Stand Up is a Portland based, Lesbian comedy troupe with a rotating cast of local Wednesday, JUNE 4 comics. Lez Stand Up will be joining forces Pride Skate: The Evolution of Madonna with some of Seattle’s best queer comics! The 9-11 p.m. at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th show is hosted by Kirsten Kuppenbender, Ave. S.W.). Meets monthly the first Wedneswho performs along with regulars: Jes Rega, day of each month with different theme each Diane Gasperin, Brittaney Taylor and Bob month. www.southgaterollerrink.com Kendrick, all of whom are doing their best not to eat bananas in public. 90 minutes of Thursday, JUNE 5 pure joy, featuring sketch comedy AND “Love with Pride: A Celebration of stand up! Joining the regular line up of Lez LGBT Romance Fiction” – A Reading and Stand Up will be local comics Elicia Sanchez, Book Signing Danielle Radford, Abbey Drake, and Sadie Kick off Pride Month with a special reading Blake. Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday and book signing of LGBTQ love stories by at 7 p.m. at Calamus Auditorium, Gay City Northwest writers Jove Belle, Kade Boehme, (517 E. Pike St.). Tickets are $12 at www.gayc- Nick DiMartino and J. Tullos Hennig at 7 ity.org or http://www.strangertickets.com p.m. University Book Store (4326 University Way NE). Whether they explore romance Saturday, MAY 31 in modern or medieval times, each author Pride ASIA Rice Ball shines a spotlight on LGBTQ relationships The Official Pride ASIA coalition presents and the universality of love. FREE admission. RICE BALL in celebration of National Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month through a Friday, JUNE 6 diverse perspective. Hosted by Seattle Pride The Seattle University LGBTQ Network Idol 2012 Chase Silva and Miss UTOPIA Q-BBQ Atasha Manila. Doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 An LGBTQ BBQ for SU students, staff, p.m. at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broad- faculty, administrators and alumni. The Secway). Tickets: $20-advance via riceball2014. ond Annual Lavender Alumni Award will be bpt.me, $25 at the door. 21+. www.facebook. presented at the Q-BBQ. 4:30-6:30 p.m. at SU com/events/667522536646587/ International Student Center (901 12th Ave.) More info at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/qSaturday, MAY 31 bbq-lgbtq-barbecue-with-oma-registrationLez Stand Up (See May 30 for details.) 11509702831?aff=es2&rank=25 Sunday, JUNE 1 City of Seattle Pride Flag Raising Ceremony With Mayor Ed Murray and guest speaker Col. Grethe Cammermeyer (Ret.), members of the City Council and Seattle LGBT Commission. 11 a.m. at Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave. The event will be held outside on the 4th Avenue side of City Hall. The event is open to the public.
Saturday, JUNE 7 SEAMEC Volunteer Interviewer Orientation Join the crew who will be interviewing this election cycle’s crop of candidates to find out just how LGBT-friendly they are. At the Capitol Hill Branch of the Seattle Public Library 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM (Open to Public). For more info email seamec2014@gmail.com or leave message at 206-666-8058 Saturday, JUNE 7 Lambert House’s Pink Prom The youth-originated alternative prom for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, GenderQueer, Intersex, Asexual, Questioning, CrossDressing, and Allied youth from Seattle, King County, the Greater Northwest, the world, our galaxy, the universe, and other places – for youth, ages 13 through 22. Festive dress encouraged; formal wear welcome and not required. Dates welcome and definitely not required. Lambert House will provide soft drinks and hearty snacks. Come dance and hang out with your same-sex friends, other-sex friends, no-sex friends, any-sex friends, and all-gender friends in a safe environment. No Drugs, No Alcohol, No Hate. 8 p.m. to midnight. $5 to $20 free-will donation. Location: All Pilgrim’s Church, 500 Broadway E. in Seattle.
Sunday, JUNE 8 Seattle Pride Idol – Finale After 10 weeks of competition the finalists compete for the title of 2014 Seattle Pride Idol! Come watch Seattle’s hottest singers take the stage at Neighbours Nightclub and sing their hearts out! Doors 7 p.m., contest 8 p.m. Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway). Big prizes for contestants and lots of audience giveaways! FREE admission. 21+. www.seattlepride.org
Friday, JUNE 6 A Rare Screening of The Celluloid Closet What That’s Entertainment did for movie musicals, The Celluloid Closet does for Hollywood homosexuality, as this exuberant, eye-opening movie serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of Gay men and Sunday, JUNE 8 Lesbians on the silver screen. Tom Hanks, SuTheatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata san Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, (See June 6 for details.) Harvey Fierstein and Gore Vidal are just a few Sunday, JUNE 1 of the many actors, writers and commentators Monday, JUNE 9 Timberline Revisited who provide funny and insightful anecdotes. Lambda Legal Presents Just Gender The long missed Timberline is coming Based on Vito Russo’s groundbreaking book on Saturday, JUNE 7 Lambda Legal is pleased to partner with back! Timberline Revisited is the Official the history of the GLBT community’s portrayal Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata Buddha Dog Productions and Kino Lorber Kickoff to Seattle Pride month and will fea- in the movies. One showing only at 7 p.m., Gay (See June 6 for details.) see PRIDE EVENTS page 16
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Seattle Gay News 5
U.S. Senator Patty Murray gives opening remarks at the Pride Foundation Scholarship Reception be his running mate for the upcoming student government election. “Excited about this idea, Kris realized this was his opportunity to make a real difference for many of the students on campus who had been through some of the same trying experiences he had. “So Kris and Isaac kicked off their cam-
“Kris was told that words like “homosexual” and “AIDS” were proper terms, as well as protected speech, and therefore not grounds for punishment. “Kris was devastated. “He didn’t attend class for weeks and weeks after that. “His friends and loved ones started to se-
dent invaded his privacy in such a serious way, and continued to harass him over the Internet, Tyler leapt off the George Washington Bridge – taking his own life. “When I was thinking about introducing the bill, I sat down and spoke with Kris and he told me how his story was very close to ending just like Tyler’s. “Fortunately, he was able to lean on the campus LGBTQ community for support during this trying time, but he said QUOTE “If I hadn’t reached out to the community, I probably wouldn’t be here today. Every day going to school felt like a battlefield.” “Quite shockingly – despite statistics telling us LGBTQ students are nearly twice as likely to experience harassment when compared to their heterosexual peers – there is no federal requirement that colleges and universities have policies to protect their students from harassment. “And that’s why I feel so strongly about this legislation. “Unfortunately, as you all know, there are so many others like Kris who don’t have that point of contact on campus or a supportive parent or network like the Pride Foundation, who will help them get through these experiences. “But being here in this room tonight – with all the volunteers, advocates, parents, mentors and students – talking to you and hearing your incredible stories, I am so encouraged and hopeful for our future. “It’s getting better – and it’s happening quickly. “People like you are truly turning the tide – as we saw in Oregon and Pennsylvania last week – and I thank you for standing up and speaking out. “And here in Washington state, schools like UW and Western Washington have already adopted policies to address campus bullying. “But as you know, we can’t leave it up to chance. “We need bills like the Tyler Clementi Act and ENDA [Employment Non-Discrimination Act] to combat discrimination in all walks of life. “So I just want to once again applaud the great work you all are doing day in and day out to not only support LGBTQ and ally students in their academic endeavors, but also by creating a strong foundation for an even brighter future. “And of course, my deepest congratulations to all the scholarship recipients here today. “I look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the coming years. “I am so proud to be your partner in the United States Senate.” Photo By Elaine Thompson / STF
On Wednesday, May 28th, U.S. Senator Patty Murray gave the opening remarks at the Pride Foundation’s annual Scholarship Reception in Seattle. Senator Murray discussed her ongoing efforts to address issues facing LGBTQ youth in the education system, including her Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2014, aimed at curbing harassment and bullying at colleges and universities. Following is the full text of Senator Murray’s remarks, as prepared: “Good evening! “ Thank you S eth for that ver y kind introduction. “And thank you to Kris and the Pride Foundation for inviting me to speak with you here this evening. “I see so many friends and familiar faces here tonight. “And it makes me so proud to represent a state that can bring this many people together – year after year, from all over the Pacific Northwest – to recognize our outstanding LGBTQ and ally students. “Since 1985, Pride Foundation has been doing exemplary work to ensure students who have been stigmatized or isolated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity feel welcome. “As we know, many students lack critical family, financial, and community support. “And too often those with excellent potential give up because they do not believe success is possible. “So I’d like to just take a minute to tell you the story of a young man named Kris, whose life could have taken a very different turn had he not found this type of support during a very trying time in his life. “Kris would be the first to tell you he hasn’t led the easiest of lives. “After turning 18 – and aging out of the Texas foster care system – Kris found himself homeless in Houston, sleeping on whatever park bench or apartment roof was available that evening. “As luck would have it, one night while Kris was searching for a public restroom to use, he stumbled upon an admissions fair for the University of Houston’s downtown campus. “Kris always had ambitions to attend college, but because of his unstable childhood and minimal income, pursuing higher education was never a priority. “But once he learned tuition for the school was waived for foster system alumni, this dream seemed more like a reality and Kris decided to enroll. “After declaring his major in social work, Kris settled into college life, making friends and participating in extracurricular activities on campus. “In fact, Kris was so involved that one of his good friends, Isaac, invited him to
paign in pursuit of elected office. “Then one day – in fact, one year ago this month – Kris was called into the Dean of Student’s office. “Kris sat down as the Dean reached into his briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers with Kris’s photo on each and every one of them – with a big X across his picture. “In big, bold letters across the top of the flyer it read: WANT AIDS? – with a question mark at the end. “And across the bottom it read: Don’t Support the Isaac and Kris Homosexual Agenda. “And on the back of the flyers – unbelievably – was a copy of Kris’s official medical records, displaying in plain view that Kris was HIV positive. “I know, I was just as stunned as you are when Kris sat down and told me this story. “The Dean then informed Kris that these were found all over campus. “And, as if the situation couldn’t get any worse, the Dean told Kris there was nothing the university administration could do about it. “Nothing. “At one point Kris said the administration even accused HIM of being responsible for these acts. “Kris was told the administration’s sole responsibility was simply just to inform him of what was going on. “Nothing more – just making sure he knew what had happened.
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Patty Murray riously worry about his well-being. “In the meantime, word of this incident – and Kris’s status as HIV positive – spread like wildfire across campus. “And while Kris had been out to a small group of friends – there was no going back once the local papers picked up on the story, eventually circulating in the national media. “Thankfully, Kris’s heartbreaking story has a happy ending. “Kris and Isaac won their election and Kris served a term as the student body vice president. “Kris then moved on to serve in a different, but similar capacity. “And that was as a Congressional intern in my Washington, D.C. office last semester. “Unfortunately, Kris had to return to school to finish up his degree, but – as I have told him several times – he has left a lasting impact not only on me and my office, but on the future of our LGBTQ and ally students as well. “That is because back in March – with Kris standing there with me on the Senate floor – I reintroduced the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2014. “As many of you know, this bill is named after Tyler Clementi – an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University. “In 2010, without his knowledge, Tyler’s roommate streamed video footage on the internet of Tyler in his dorm room, being intimate with another male. “After his roommate and another stu-
Courtesy of the Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
Celebrating 41 Years!
SCHOLARSHIP continued from cover
honored 2014 Pride Foundation Scholars at Cornish Playhouse. U.S. Senator Patty Murray and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray addressed the audience and scholars during a powerful evening that was both inspiring and heartfelt. This year’s scholarship cycle awarded nearly $400,000 to 105 students from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. In Washington, 62 LGBTQ and ally students received scholarships, totaling $211,900. “One of the things I am struck by as I travel across our five states is that people, more than anything, want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. We want to know that we matter. Our scholarship program does just that,” said Kris Hermanns, Executive Director of Pride Foundation. “It’s not about whether our scholarship recipients grow up to become president – and believe me, some of them could.
It’s about recognizing them for who they are. It’s about signaling to them that in a world that tells them every day and in too many ways, that they do not matter and do not exist – that in fact their lives do matter. They matter very much.” “I am so proud to represent a state that can bring so many people together – year after year, from all over the Pacific Northwest – to recognize our outstanding LGBTQ and ally students,” Senator Murray said. “A sincere thank you to the Pride Foundation for their ongoing work and congratulations to the scholarship recipients – I look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the coming years.” “Everyone deserves access to a quality education,” said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. “This is why I am so thankful for the important role that the Pride Foundation plays in ensuring that LGBTQ and all students have the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams. The students that we honor here tonight are a true inspiration, and I cannot wait to see what
NOTE: Please see PRIDE EVENTS be interested in participating in this new CALENDAR this week for Pride related reality series can respond with their name, events. age, recent photo, and a brief summary of their situation by emailing to divorced@sfp“REVEALING QUEER” – seattle.com or by going to the casting page at LGBT HISTORY AT MOHAI www.sfpseattle.com/casting FEBRUARY 14-JULY 6 Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry VELOCITY DANCE CENTER – (860 Terry Ave. N. in South Lake Union) “ORANGE” presents “Revealing Queer,” a landmark A SHOW WITH PAT GRANEY exhibit on the history of the Puget Sound AND FRIENDS region’s LGBTQ community. Admission: On Friday, May 30, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., at $14 general; $12-student/senior/military/ Velocity Dance Center (1621 12th Ave.), enteacher; children under 14 free when ac- joy an evening of dance works by Pat Graney companied by an adult. Museum hours: 10 with Jody Kuehner, Shannon Stewart, Kaia.m.-5 p.m. daily, Thursdays until 8 p.m. tlin McCarthy and Jenny Peterson, Amelia First Thursdays FREE. www.mohai.org. Reeber. Tickets: $15 general; $12 senior. NOTE: MOHAI is sponsoring walking www.strangertickets.com. tours of Early, Queer Pioneer Square 6/7 and Capitol Hill 6/21. Call 206-324-1126 or visit FANTASTIC Z. – website for details. Cost: $25 general; $20 QUEERSPAWN MOHAI members. Local theatre company, Fantastic Z., is proud to present the West Coast premiere of queerCASTING CALL: Spawn by Mallory Avidon, Thursday through 20-SOMETHINGS DIVORCING Saturday nights, from May 23-June 7 at 8 The Prime Time Emmy-nominated produc- p.m., at Eclectic Theater (1214 10th Ave.). ers of “HOARDERS,” “Women of Homicide” queerSpawn is a playfully significant look and “Sell This House” are launching an empow- at a different kind of bullying. A heterosexual ering new reality series for a major cable net- cisgendered teenage boy with Lesbian mothers work about brave young people going through “who love him more than sunshine” struggles a divorce and embarking on a new journey in with surviving high school in a small town. their lives. With the right to marry for so many Facing four more years of outrageous bullying, now a reality, divorce in the LGBTQQIA com- he attempts to cope with this harsh reality by munity is inevitable. Long excluded as tradition- creating imaginary friends of tabloid headlinally recognized couples, LGBTQQIA voices are ers rather than telling his parents. now part of the national narrative on marriage; Tickets: $15 online at www.brownpalikewise, LGBTQQIA people will have a visible pertickets.com/event/647037 or $20 at presence in divorce. This new series will profile the doorFantastic.Z is a Northwest grown both Gay and straight individuals as they end LGBT nonprofit theater company focusing their relationships and embark on new lives. on new and under produced works. This The National Center for Health Statistics madcap, musically inclined, fun loving enreports 60 percent of marriages for couples semble constantly strives to amuse, amaze, between the ages of 20 and 25 end in di- and entertain the community as a whole. vorce. People get married for all sorts of rea- By enlisting the strengths of burlesque persons and they get divorced for just as many. formes, photographers, stand up comediThis new show will explore the changes and ans, and other “can do” theatre artist into challenges facing young people as they un- their ensemble, Fantastic.Z is proud to bring couple and get divorced. People who might you queerSpawn.
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the future holds for each one of them.” According to Pride Foundation officials, all too often LGBTQ students do not have the family, financial, and community support in place to pursue their education. With tuition continuing to increase at a rapid rate – in Washington state higher education cuts recently led to the second largest tuition increase in the nation – financial aid has become even more important for students pursuing higher education. For Lane Kaiser, a 2014 Pride Foundation scholar from Bremerton, Washington, the financial impact of a Pride Foundation scholarship was immeasurable. “I was raised in a single parent home in Section 8 housing with no way to pay for school,” said Lane. “If it were not for the scholarship Pride Foundation blessed me with, I would not have been able to pursue my dreams. I went from a high-risk, suicide-risk Transgender teen to a passionate social work major in a thriving environment because of Pride Foundation.”
SEATTLE BUTOH FESTIVAL MAY 30-31 www.daipanbutoh.com SEATTLE EROTIC ART FESTIVAL MAY 30-31 & JUNE 1 SEATTLE CENTER EXHIBITION HALL Three days filled with the world’s finest erotic visual, installation, short film and literary art with performances, late night music, Sunday brunch and the festival store. www.seattleerotic.org CAPITOL HILL TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY MEETING: MEET THE DEVELOPERS On Monday, June 2, from 5:30-8:30 p.m., presentation begins at 6 p.m., at Broadway Performance Hall (1625 Broadway). www. capitolhillchampion.org SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – FIREFLY The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday from 6-7:30 p.m., at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). In June, the club will discuss Firefly by Janette Jenkins. For almost fifty years, the most popular playwright in the world was Noel Coward. At the end of his stellar career, to escape brutal British tax laws, he (and Ian Fleming, another Brit) went to live in Jamaica – and that’s where he built Firefly, his final retreat from the world. Janette Jenkins’ Firefly is a short (150 pages) and lovely written novel about this hugely successful 71 year-old Gay British playwright in Jamaica reflecting back on his life, and his friendship for one week with a temporary young Jamaican servant named Patrice, whose wildest dream is to be a silver-service waiter at the Ritz in London. All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. For more information, visit http://faculty.washington.edu/
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Pride Foundation’s scholarships provide a critical link to students facing financial hardship, and encourage students to achieve their fullest potential. Despite facing harassment and discrimination at home, work, and school, Lane has dedicated his life to supporting the LGBTQ community and promoting social justice. He has dedicated over 3,000 hours of community service to develop resources and support systems for LGBTQ youth. Through the educational opportunities opened to him, Lane was able to find his passion. In addition to the financial support that Pride Foundation scholarships provide, the program also provides encouragement and fosters a sense of community. Many Pride Foundation scholars have been bullied or isolated – in some cases forced out of their homes – because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Receiving a Pride Foundation scholarship connects students to a wider LGBTQ and ally community of supporters, providing important affirmation and support. Seven new scholarship funds were established this year to meet the growing and diverse needs of LGBTQ and ally students. The foundation’s scholarship program also passed a significant milestone this year, exceeding $3.5 million awarded since 1993. With a total of nearly 1,400 scholarships awarded to LGBTQ and ally students since the program’s inception, it is one of the largest LGBTQ and allied-focused scholarship programs in the world.
swittet/SGLBookClub/ A RARE SCREENING OF THE CELLULOID CLOSET On Friday, June 6, at 7 p.m., at the Calamus Auditorium at Gay City (517 E. Pike St.), enjoy a rare screening of The Celluloid Closet. What That’s Entertainment did for movie musicals, The Celluloid Closet does for Hollywood homosexuality, as this exuberant, eye-opening movie serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of Gay men and Lesbians on the silver screen. Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, Harvey Fierstein and Gore Vidal are just a few of the many actors, writers and commentators who provide funny and insightful anecdotes. Based on Vito Russo’s groundbreaking book on the history of the GLBT community’s portrayal in the movies. Admission is FREE. LOVE IS THE MESSAGE – A NIGHT AT THE GALLERY 1977 SPECIAL BENEFIT SCREENING: GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT On Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7, at 7 p.m. at Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave.), Derek Pavone and Bottom Forty present a screening of Nicky Siano’s documentary film Love is the Message – A Night at the Gallery 1977 that takes the viewer back to the heydey of dance music for one night at New York’s famed club, The Gallery, presenting an important snapshot of American dance music history. Tickets: $10 at http:// loveisthemessage.brownpapertickets.com and at the door. Opened in 1972 by Siano and his brother, The Gallery had such an effect on the dance music scene that it is still felt today in clubs around the world. Before Studio 54, Paradise Garage, and The Warehouse, there was The Gallery, where Nicky Siano could be found in the DJ booth every Saturday night. Grace Jones and Loleatta Holloway both see NW NEWS page 18
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Wisconsin AG prepares to lose marriage case, asks for stay in advance by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Walker, a candidate for reelection this year and a potential 2016 Republican candidate for president, has evaded questions about controversial social issues. His likely Democratic opponent, Mary Burke, supports marriage equality.
A Marquette University law school poll released May 20 found that 55% of registered Wisconsin voters favor allowing Gays and Lesbians to marry legally, while 37% were opposed, 6% said they didn’t know, and 2% refused to answer. Post-Crescent / photo by Bill Glasheen
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has asked a federal judge to commit in advance to stay any ruling she might make striking the state’s ban on Gay and Lesbian marriages. In a May 23 petition to U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb, Van Hollen said if the judge strikes down all or a part of Wisconsin’s ban, he would appeal the decision to the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. While that appeal moves forward, Van Hollen argued, the judge should stay her ruling and prevent county clerks from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Not staying the decision and allowing same-sex marriages to go ahead would lead to “chaos, confusion, uncertainty, and ultimately, further litigation,” Van Hollen said. “The state is fighting tooth and nail to make sure that no same-sex couple in Wisconsin is allowed the freedom to marry, while signaling that they understand the weakness of their own legal position,” ACLU attorney John Knight told Associated Press. The ACLU filed a federal lawsuit in February on behalf of four couples challenging Wisconsin’s constitutional ban on Gay marriage. The lawsuit contends that the ban violates the couples’ constitutional rights to equal protection and due process, and deprives them of legal protections opposite-sex married couples enjoy simply because of their sex.
Wisconsin voters amended the state constitution in 2006 to outlaw same-sex marriage or anything substantially similar. Since 2009 the state has offered samesex couples domestic partner status that affords them a number of legal rights, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently deciding whether the domestic partnership law violates the state constitution. Van Hollen told WISN-TV on May 25 that he intended to defend Wisconsin’s ban on same-sex marriage “aggressively,” but that he expected to lose in federal court given recent rulings across the country in favor of Gay marriage. Judge Crabb has put the case on an expedited schedule and asked the ACLU not to seek a temporary halt to enforcement of the ban in the meantime, since she hopes to rule on the merits of the case quickly. While Van Hollen promised to defend the marriage ban, Republican Governor Scott Walker, once a vocal opponent of marriage equality, walked back some of his more extreme anti-Gay statements. “Any federal judge has got to look at that law not only with respect to the state’s constitution but what it means in terms of the U.S. Constitution, as well,” Walker said in an interview. “Again, I’m not going to pretend to tell a federal judge in that regard what he or she should do about it ... I don’t know what [allowing same-sex marriage] means. Voters don’t talk to me about that. They talk to me about the economy. They talk to me about their kids’ schools.”
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen
Census to count same-sex married couples as families by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The U.S. Census Bureau announced May 26 that it will now count married same-sex couples as families, rather than as unmarried partners, as they have previously done. The first time the new method of counting Gay and Lesbian spouses appears will be in September, when the 2013 American Community Survey results are reported. An estimated 180,000 same-sex married couples will be included in the statistics for the country’s 56 million families. “I think the American public already thinks same-sex married couples are families, and the Census Bureau is just catching up with public opinion,” said Andrew J. Cherlin, a sociologist at Johns Hopkins University who studies families. The Census Bureau has counted same-sex couples for almost a decade, but the statistics have not been reported as part of the data on families. Instead, they have been segregated out and reported as “unmarried partners,” whether the couples were legally married or not. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 USA v. Windsor decision, which struck down DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act), paved the way for the census to change the way it tracks same-sex households after years of discussions about doing so. “Windsor didn’t obligate us to do anything,” said Rose Kreider, chief of the fertility and
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family statistics branch of the Census Bureau. “But it in some ways made it easier to say: It’s legally recognized federally, so it’s time for us to throw them in with all married couples.” The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing statistical survey sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly, or 3 million per year. It was initiated in 1996 to gather information previously contained only in the census “long form” which is distributed every 10 years. Census Bureau officials began the program because many respondents found filling out the census long form burdensome, and simply stopped doing it. The survey began reporting data in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and was fully functional by 2005. In 2010, the ACS produced its first set of estimates for areas of all population sizes, using information collected from January 2005 through December 2009. The Census Bureau says it is continually reassessing the questions it asks and how it phrases them. For example, it is currently considering a combined race and ethnicity question because many Hispanics are confused about how to identify themselves racially. Typically, the Census Bureau consults experts and tests surveys for several years before it adds or alters the wording of a question. Consequently, changes often come years after they have become a familiar part of American culture.
Celebrating 41 Years!
Stonewall veteran Storme DeLarverie dies at 93 Storme DeLarverie, dubbed “the Rosa Parks of the Gay rights movement” by her friends, died on May 24 in New York City. She was 93. According to the Bronx LGBT Center, “Storme was a Black lesbian who often presented as a Black man; although she could easily have passed for a White woman, she chose not to do so.” Describing her as “a fierce woman” the LGBT Center noted that DeLarverie was “credited as having thrown one of the first punches during the Stonewall Uprising in June 1969.” According to a 2009 New York Times story on her life, “Some writers believe Ms. DeLarverie may have been the cross-dressing lesbian whose clubbing by the police was the catalyst for the riots (the woman has never been identified). While others are adamant that Ms. DeLarverie was not that woman, no one disputes that she was there, and no one doubts that the woman who had been fighting back all her life fought back in the summer of 1969.” DeLarverie herself indignantly rejected the word “riot” to describe the street fighting that drove police out of the Greenwich Village neighborhood around The Stonewall Inn in June 1969. “It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience – it wasn’t no damn riot,” she said. “The cops were parading patrons out of the front door of The Stonewall at about two o’clock in the morning. I saw this one boy being
taken out by three cops, only one in uniform. Three to one! I told my pals, ‘I know him! That’s Williamson, my friend Sonia Jane’s friend.’ “Williamson briefly broke loose but they grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him right down on the cement street. One of them did a drop kick on him. Another cop senselessly hit him from the back. “Right after that, a cop said to me: ‘Move faggot’, thinking that I was a Gay guy. I said, ‘I will not! And, don’t you dare touch me.” With that, the cop shoved me and I instinctively punched him right in his face. He bled! He was then dropping to the ground – not me!” According to the Stonewall Veterans Association website, DeLarverie was born in New Orleans on Christmas Eve 1920. In the 1940s, she was a solo performer with a three-piece band, but she “is probably best known for being part of the legendary Jewel Box Revue, a popular ‘drag’ performance group which toured America – not always under the best of accommodations or circumstances.” The Jewel Box Revue ensemble included some two-dozen men dressed as women and DeLarverie dressed as a man. During the 1950s and the 1960s, she was the Jewel Box’s only male impersonator. The Revue regularly played Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater, and DeLarverie moonlighted as a bouncer in Greenwich Village’s Gay and Lesbian bars, many of them mob-owned. She reportedly carried a straight-edge razor – or a pistol, depending on which one of her friends was telling the story – hidden in her stockings. The Stonewall Veterans Association came
sam bassett
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Storme DeLarverie
together exactly two weeks after the uprising, on July 11,1969. DeLarverie was one of the founding members and it remained the vehicle for most of her activism. In her later years, DeLarverie lived at the infamous Chelsea Hotel, where she ran into legal and financial problems and was frequently on the edge of eviction. In 2009, the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged was appointed her legal
Oregon Houston passes nondiscrimination ordinance
guardian, but she soon required hospitalization for Alzheimer’s Disease. The New York Times found her lucid, but forgetful, in their story on her that same year. “Her love of people made Storme an advocate, and she stood up to all injustice whenever she encountered or heard about it,” the Bronx LGBT Center said in their obituary. “It was this conviction that led her to change the world for all of us, for the better.”
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words, can NOM show that it has a specific stake in the outcome – apart from general disapproval of same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court decided the Prop 8 case from California on the grounds that Prop 8 supporters did not have standing to defend the measure. The result was that the Ninth Circuit Court decision voiding Prop 8 remained in force, and same-sex marriages were allowed to go forward in California. NOM claimed to be encouraged that
Kennedy was willing to look at briefs, rather than reject their appeal out of hand. “It’s a very good sign,” Eastman said of Kennedy’s action. He noted that the Supreme Court also issued a stay of a federal ruling in Utah after both the district and circuit court judges refused to do so. On the other hand, University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias told The Oregonian newspaper that the Utah case was different because that appeal was filed by the Utah Attorney General, who definitely does have standing in the case. Still, Tobias said, “I guess it piqued [Kennedy’s] interest enough to want to hear from everybody.” David Fidanque, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said he thought it was good that Kennedy “will have a more complete record” before acting. Fidanque, whose group represents some of the plaintiffs in the case, noted that he particularly wants Kennedy to see a transcript of McShane’s oral ruling explaining why he would not allow NOM to intervene in the case. He noted that NOM did not include this in its brief. Lake Perriguey, a Portland attorney who represents two of the couples who sought the right to marry, said he thought Kennedy was simply being careful. “I don’t think there’s much to take from it,” Perriguey said. “Courts don’t like to make knee-jerk reactions to things.” If Kennedy ultimately decides not to issue a stay, NOM could still appeal to the full Supreme Court, in hopes that a majority of the justices might consider their claims worthy of review.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Houston’s City Council voted on May 28 to pass an expanded nondiscrimination ordinance that for the first time offers protections to the city’s LGBT community. The vote was a convincing 11-6. Houston Mayor Annise Parker signed the measure into law immediately, as cheers broke out in the packed council chambers. When the law goes into effect in 90 days, all private employers with 50 or more employees can be fined up to $5,000 for discrimination claims. The employee limit will drop to 25 in the second year of the ordinance, and 15 in the third year. The ordinance also provides protection in housing and for city workers and contractors. The controversial section that allowed Transgender workers to select which restroom to use was amended out of the bill before it was passed. Supporters, including Mayor Annise Parker, said the measure is about offering protections at the local level against all forms of discrimination in housing, employment and services provided by private businesses such as hotels and restaurants. Parker, Houston’s first openly Lesbian mayor, said passing the ordinance was not the most important thing she has done in office, but was the “most personally meaningful thing I will do as mayor.” Opponents of the legislation, including
some local pastors, said it is unconstitutional and would infringe on their right to speak out against Gay sex. They advocated that Houston citizens should be allowed to vote on the issue through a referendum. Among opponents of the ordinance is Houston Community College Board of Trustees member and longtime anti-Gay activist Dave Wilson, who was behind the Gay-baiting flyer campaign against Parker during her first mayoral campaign in 2009. In an interview with KHOU 11 News, Wilson threatened that he and other antiGay leaders would launch a recall petition to remove Parker and the City Council members who voted for the ordinance. “[W]e consider them to be incompetent,” Wilson told KHOU, citing a state law allowing removal of incompetent public officials. “This is absurd, it’s unheard of,” he said of the ordinance, adding, “It’s nothing but pure payback for the mayor. She’s paying back her core constituents that supported her.” Legal experts said 2,500 signatures would be enough to mandate a recall election for a city council member, but recall expert Joshua Spivak wrote on his Recall Elections Blog that the incompetence claim “probably will be extremely difficult to hold up in court.” Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio all have already passed similar nondiscrimination ordinances without ill effect.
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David Fidanque, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the ACLU
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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Pride EVents
workplaces for diverse professionals. 8 a.m.5:30 p.m. Renaissance Seattle Hotel (515 Madison St.). www.eventbrite.com/e/2014EDU to present the Seattle screening of the out-and-equal-northwest-regional-summitdocumentary feature, Just Gender, nar- registration-11241968029?aff=eivtefrnd rated by Tony and Emmy-award winning actress Bebe Neuwirth at the Varsity TheFriday, JUNE 13 atre (4329 University Way NE), 6:30-9 p.m. Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata Space is limited. RSVPs to this FREE com- (See June 6 for details.) munity film event at www.facebook.com/ events/721730741212572 Saturday, JUNE 14 Seattle Pride Picnic Tuesday, JUNE 10 Join us for The 5th Annual Seattle Pride Picnic! Lavender Graduation: The Seattle Pride Picnic is a chance for family and Be Your Own Queen! friends to come together in one of Seattle’s iconic The University of Washington Q Center parks and celebrate our amazing community. All hosts the UW’s annual LGBTQ-friendly the fun begins at 11 a.m. at Volunteer Park (14th Lavender graduation ceremony for all stu- Ave. & E. Prospect St.) in Seattle’s Capitol Hill dents eligible to graduate during the 2013- neighborhood. www.seattlepride.org 14 academic year (including fall 2014). Keynote speech & performance by Aleska MaSaturday, JUNE 14 nila. All welcome. UW Tower (4333 BrookPortland Pride Festival lyn Ave. N.E.), Mezzanine Level Lounge, Tom McCall Waterfront Park (S.W. Nai6-8:30 p.m. (Ceremony participants are to Pkwy. and Pine St.), beginning at noon. asked to arrive by 5:15 p.m.) For more infor- www.pridenw.org. (Also Sunday following mation, visit http://depts.washington.edu/ the Pride Parade.) qcenter/wordpress/lavender-graduation/ Saturday, JUNE 14 Wednesday, JUNE 11 Spokane Pride Parade POZ Seattle Pride Month Social And Rainbow Festival Social gathering of POZ and POZ-friendwww.outspokane.com ly people meets 2nd Wednesday each month at The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.), 6-8 Saturday, JUNE 14 p.m. www.pozseattle.org. Seattle Men’s Chorus – “Falling in Love Again – Deutschland” Thursday, JUNE 12 For one night only at The Paramount Trans*Parency All Ages Dance Party Theatre (911 Pine St.), Seattle Men’s Chorus 7-11 p.m. at The Vera Project (Seattle presents Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s For Center north of Key Arena in the North- a Look or a Touch, a powerful story about west Rooms near SIFF offices). House the relatively untouched and unknown styles of Kid Amiga will kick us off, fol- subject of Gay persecution during the Holowed by the talented Miss Shelrawka for locaust, an original work commissioned by a night of dancing! This is a fundraising Seattle’s Music of Remembrance. Act II will party for Gender Justice League, and the feature a few selections of American Jazz 2014 Trans Pride!! http://seattle.gaycities. and other music of celebration to help put com/events/357529-trans-parency you in the spirit of Pride. 8 p.m. Tickets: $25, $35, $45, $55. www. Thursday, JUNE 12 seattlemenschorus.org Divas Take the Hill – Ride the Soul Train all night long! Saturday, JUNE 14 A benefit for the Inspire Youth ProjTheatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata ect to support at-risk youth, specifically (See June 6 for details.) those affected by HIV/AIDS. Put on your bell-bottom pants and prepare for the Pride Sunday, JUNE 15 Kickoff event of the season with drinks, Portland Pride Parade & Festival dancing, and drag queens galore! 7:30 p.m. Parade steps off from Burnside St. and doors; 8 p.m. performances. Velocity Dance N.W. Park Ave. at 11 a.m. Festival at Tom McCenter (1621 12th Ave.). www.facebook. Call Waterfront Park (S.W. Naito Pkwy. and com/events/140556506114758/ Pine St.) begins at noon. www.pridenw.org. continued from page 5
Thursday, JUNE 12 Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata (See June 6 for details.) Friday, JUNE 13 Out & Equal Northwest Regional Summit Drawing participants from San Francisco to Vancouver, BC the Northwest Regional Summit will bring together hundreds of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) professionals and straight allies to share innovative strategies to enhance workplace inclusion, visibility, and diversity. Attendees will participate in workshops and hear from business leaders who pioneered welcoming
Wednesday, JUNE 18 GSBA Luncheon – Travel & Tourism In partnership with Visit Seattle, this month’s luncheon will focus on travel and tourism. In addition to a dynamic pair of expert speakers on LGBT travel, the luncheon will present a unique opportunity for members and guests to interact with Seattle’s tourism industry with a pre-luncheon showcase. The luncheon will be held from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Sheraton Seattle Hotel (1400 6th Ave.). Speakers for the luncheon are Merryn Johns, Editor in Chief, Curve Magazine and Ed Salvato, Editor in
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May 30, 2014
Seattle Gay News
Chief, Man About World. The luncheon is Sunday, JUNE 22 sponsored by Holland America Lines. RegCapital City Pride Parade & Festival istration: $40 members, $40 nonmembers, Olympia’s Pride Parade starts at noon at the walk-ins $5 more at the door. www.thegs- State Capitol Building / Festival in the Park ba.org or 206-363-9188. starts at 1 pm in Sylvester Park at Legion & Capitol Way. Regional entertainers, food, arts Thursday, JUNE 19 & crafts, booths. www.capitalcitypride.net Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata (See June 6 for details.) Tuesday, JUNE 24 Celebrating Queer Bodies with Drs. Friday, JUNE 20 Linda Bacon & Lucy Aphramor Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata Meet Drs. Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor, (See June 6 for details.) Queer activists and thought leaders in the Health at EverySize/Body Respect movement, Friday, JUNE 20 as they help opal: Food & Body Wisdom (1100 PBS/Independent Lens Presents The NE 45th St., Ste 600) celebrate Seattle Pride. New Black Bacon & Aphramor give you a rare behind the KCTS-TV, Channel 9, at 9 p.m., broadcasts scenes look at their personal journeys and poThe New Black, a groundbreaking documen- litical path to affirming diverse embodiment. tary about the conversation on same-sex mar- Expect a combo of story telling and perforriage in the African American community mance poetry, where narrative, the erotic and during Maryland’s fight for marriage equality memory collide and coalesce. This is a unique in 2012. The New Black takes viewers into the opportunity to join with other advocates and pews and onto the streets and provides a seat at thought-leaders in a vibrant discussion of the kitchen table as it tells the story of the his- where we’re at, and where next, in advancing toric fight to win marriage equality in Mary- body respect for all in the LGBTQ community. land and charts the evolution of this divisive Food and drink provided. issue within the black community. Thursday, JUNE 26 Saturday, JUNE 21 Rainbow City Band Summer Concert Pride ASIA Come out for an evening of music with Founded in 2012, Pride ASIA’s mission our own Rainbow City Orchestra under is to celebrate, empower and nurture the the direction of Jerilynn Harris-Kilgore. multi-cultural diversity of the Lesbian, 7 p.m. at the Fremont Abbey Arts CenGay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and ter (4272 Fremont Ave. N.). FREE (doAlly communities through the Asian-Pa- nations accepted). Details at www.raincific Islander American lens. Hosted by bowcityband.com Aleksa Manila. Noon-4 p.m. at Hing Hay Park (423 Maynard Ave. S.) in Seattle’s Thursday, JUNE 26 Chinatown/International District. FREE Gender Blender: A Queer Revolt all ages event. www.prideasia.org and Benefit All night party at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Saturday, JUNE 21 Broadway), 8 p.m.-4 a.m. with Ben DeLaCreme, Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata Le1f, Josyln Fox, New York & MORE! Ticket (See June 6 for details.) sales benefit Gay City Health Project and the Gender Justice League. Sponsored by Nark Saturday, JUNE 21 Magazine. www.narkmagazine.com Capital City Pride Festival Olympia’s Pride Festival starts at 11 a.m. Thursday, JUNE 26 in Sylvester Park at Legion & Capital Way. Youth Pride Variety Show & Dance Party Regional entertainers, food, arts & crafts, Produced by Lifelong’s HEYO with collabbooths. www.capitalcitypride.net orative partner, C89.5 radio station, Seattle’s HOTTEST music! At Fred Wildlife Refuge Sunday, JUNE 22 (128 Belmont Ave. E.). www.facebook.com/ Seattle Frontrunners 2014 LifelongHEYO; michaelb@llaa.org. Run & Walk with Pride Run and Walk With Pride is an annual comThursday, JUNE 26 munity event open to all, presented by Seattle Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata Frontrunners, an LGBT running club. Join us (See June 6 for details.) on Sunday, June 22 in Seward Park (5895 Lake Washington Blvd. S.) for a fun 4K run, 10K run, Friday, JUNE 27 or4Kwalk.Eventstartsat9a.m.www.rwwp.org; Trans Pride seattle-frontrunners-3zjf.squarespace.com Annual celebration of the Seattle-area Transgender community. Assemble in Sunday, JUNE 22 front of Seattle Central Community ColSeattle Storm Pride Kickoff lege (1701 Broadway) at 5 p.m.; march Game against the Washington Mystics to nearby Cal Anderson Park at 6 p.m.; The first 3,000 fans in attendance will speakers and music 7-10 p.m., featuring a receive a free T-shirt. The Seattle Storm schedule of nationally-renowned speakhas invited Greater Seattle Business As- ers from the Trans* community, a perforsociation (GSBA) Scholars to attend the mance by The Nasty Habits, and an ingame in recognition of their achieve- formation & resource fair with organizaments. 6 p.m. at Key Arena (Seattle Cen- tions that serve and support Trans* and ter, 1st Ave. N. & Harrison St.). Tickets at Gender Non-Conforming people. Details www.wnba.com/storm/tickets/ at www.transprideseattle.org.
Celebrating 41 Years!
Friday, JUNE 27 Open Seattle Pride Weekend with the Storm Seattle welcomes the reigning WNBA Champions Minnesota Lynx to KeyArena (Seattle Center, 1st Ave. N. & Harrison St.). 7 p.m. The first 3,000 fans will receive Storm Rainbow beads and guest DJ Ricki Leigh will be in the bowl performing before and during the game. Tickets at www.wnba.com/storm/tickets/ Friday, JUNE 27 GLSEN Youth Pride Dance A night for the 21 and younger crowd the GLSEN Youth Pride Dance promises to be a fun night! Music by DJ Puerto Roc, emcee by Regine Dynasty and Nubian Pride, make-up table by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Crazy hat theme with hat-making party the week before the dance! (TBA). Doors 7 p.m., music 8-11 p.m. Belltown Community Center (415 Bell St.) www.facebook.com/events/1386942978213647 Friday, JUNE 27 Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata (See June 6 for details.) Friday, JUNE 27 T-Shack Seattle Pride Edition San Francisco’s world famous party, TrannyShack, comes to Seattle! Join Hostess Heklina as she leads the all-star SF Cast, including Holotta Tymes, Turleen TailSpin, Sasha Stephane and Ginger Snap, in a night of performances you won’t want to miss! $5.00 cover at The Unicorn/Narwhal (1118 E. Pike St.) Doors at 8 p.m., show at 10 p.m., 21+. www.facebook.com/ events/1438624926386524 Saturday, JUNE 28 2014 SVC Pride Quads Grass Tournament Seattle Volleyball Club is hosting its 5th Annual Quads Pride Grass tournament to celebrate Seattle Pride 2014. Proceeds of this annual event will benefit Kraken VC, a youth volleyball program based on Capitol Hill. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at Judkins Park (2150 S. Norman St.). Saturday, JUNE 28 MOHAI Family Pride Day Celebrate your family pride at MOHAI (Museum of History and Industry, 860 Terry Ave. N.) with Seattle Pride! Check out the Revealing Queer exhibit along with all-day activities, including special performances by Seattle Pride Idol winners, bingo with Lunch Lady Mama, family portraits, make-your-own flair for the 40th Annual Seattle Pride Parade, and more! 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets: $14-adults; $12 students/seniors/ militar y. www.mohai.org/exhibits/ item/2620-revealing-queer Saturday, JUNE 28 Capitol Hill Pride Festival Celebrate Pride in Seattle’s Gayborhood at this annual street fair on Broadway from E. John St. to E. Roy St, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Live local music, food, and more than 100 booths featuring nonprofits, artists, and commercial vendors. www.capitolhillpridefestival.info.
Saturday, JUNE 28 PrideFest Family Day Annual event sponsored by Seattle PrideFest, inCalAndersonPark(11thAve.&E.HowellSt.), noon-5 p.m., Lots of child-friendly activities including magic shows, bouncy houses, storytelling, free ice cream, and a concert with Recess Monkey.www.seattlepridefest.org/family/.
Saturday, JUNE 28 Sunday, JUNE 29 - Sunday, JULY 6 10th Annual “ALL WHITE” Affair Boat Victoria, BC Pride Cruise Party, the “Masquerade Edition” A week of events and activities culminating Enjoy a spectacular evening on the water as in the annual Pride Parade and Festival on we take you across the globe with music, fun & Sunday, July 6. www.victoriapridesociety.org excitement. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. on The Islander Yacht. http://seattle.gaycities.com/events/353648Saturday, JULY 12 10th-annual-all-white-affair-boat-cruise-party Out in the Park – Tacoma’s annual LGBTQA Pride Celebration Saturday, JUNE 28 Noon-5 p.m., Broadway between 9th and Seattle PrideFest Presents X 11th streets. Entertainment, food, fun, and 9:00 pm at Neumo’s (925 E. Pike St.). DJ community at this family-friendly event. Brian Gorr + DJ Bret Law. Tickets at https:// Watch for more info at www.rainbowcntr. www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanc- org or http://tacomapride.org/out_in_the_ eSearch.jsp?performance_id=1807900 park_2014
Saturday, JUNE 28 16th Annual Rainbow Health Fair From 1-5 p.m. at All Pilgrims Church (500 Broadway E. at E. Republican St.) Seattle/King & Snohomish County YWCA Women’s Health Outreach presents free mammograms for eligible peoSunday, JUNE 29 ple 40+ and free pap tests for all. MasSeattle Pride Brunch with George Takei sage, nutrition, mammograms, safer sex. A fabulous meal at Tom Douglas’ PalInsurance welcome. To schedule an appointment, call 206-461-4489. For more ace Ballroom (2100 5th Ave.) at 8:30 information and volunteer opportuni- a.m. to start the most fabulous day of the year! Join Celebrity Grand Marshal ties: lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com. George Takei for a morning of delicious food, great company, and general merSaturday, JUNE 28 riment before heading over to watch the PrideFest Cyndi/ Cher Welcome Party featuring Heklina Seattle Pride Parade from VIP seating. 3-8 p.m. at the Seattle PrideFest Main- Tickets: $57.50. www.seattlepride.org/ stage (Seattle Center, International Foun- pride-parade/pride-brunch/ tain). More info at www.facebook.com/ Sunday, JUNE 29 events/1453170404928167/ Seattle Pride Parade George Takei will be the Celebrity Saturday, JUNE 28 Grand Marshall for the 40th Annual 2014 Seattle Dyke March Rally from 5-7 p.m. at the Seattle Central Pride Parade themed “Generations of Community College Plaza at Broadway and Pride.” And recently appointed WashE. Pine St. The March steps off at 7 p.m. to go ington State Supreme Court Justice Mary around Capitol Hill and back to the Plaza. Yu will be a special guest. Starting at 11 a.m., the parade kicks off at 4th Avenue & www.seattledykemarch.com/ Union St., and will proceed north down 4th Avenue to Denny Way. It will last apSaturday, JUNE 28 CHER Dressed to Kill Tour Pre Func- proximately two and a half hours and will be held rain or shine. www.seattlepride. tion Benefiting Inspire Youth Project Come and pre func to benefit Inspire org/pride-parade/ Youth Project (formally Rise ‘n Shine). Lots Sunday, JUNE 29 of fun and entertainment including an apSeattle PrideFest pearance by a CHER impersonator! AdmisSeattle PrideFest 2014 “United We Pride” sion will include a ride on our CHER Shuttle to and from KeyArena so you don’t have will be more bedazzling than ever. Four stagto worry about fighting traffic and finding es, events over four days, dozens of artists, parking. 5-7:30 p.m. at R Place (619 E. Pine men’s and women’s parties, and over 130,000 St.) on the 3rd Floor. More info at http:// attendees. www.seattlepridefest.org/ seattle.gaycities.com/events/359421-cherSunday, JUNE 29 dressed-to-kill-tour-pre-function-beneCuff Street Party fiting-inspire-youth-project Featuring DJ/performers at The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.). www.cuffcomSaturday, JUNE 28 Maxim’s Unity Ball: Tuxedos and Gowns plex.com. Celebrate Pride at Maxim’s (5608 Rainier Ave. Sunday, JUNE 29 S.). Featuring BOYeurism with Isaiah Tillman 6 PrideFest Closing Concert: p.m. Tickets: $10-general; $25 VIP. http://www. Steve Grand & Chely Wright brownpapertickets.com/event/660849 Steve is a (quickly) rising singer-songwriter and Chely is a well-established Saturday, JUNE 28 country star. Both are out artists and we are Cher: Dressed To Kill Tour ErMerGerd! It’s Cher & Cyndi Lauper! thrilled to host them for our closing concert for Pride weekend at the Delta Stage ‘Nuff said. 8-11 p.m. at Key Arena (Seattle Center, 1st at the Seattle Center Mural Amphitheatre. 100% of proceeds to benefit marriage Ave. N. & Harrison St.) Tickets at: http://arena-wa.com/Tickets-Active. equality non-profits. ALL AGES SHOW. Doors: 7:30 p.m., Steve Grand: 7:45 p.m., php?eventID=2185598&venueID=229 Chely Wright: 8:30 p.m.. Pre-sale: $25, at the door: $30. www.brownpapertickets. Saturday, JUNE 28 Theatre22 Presents The Lisbon Traviata com/event/688293 Info and VIP at: www. seattlepridefest.org/concert (See June 6 for details.)
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May 30, 2014
Saturday, JULY 12 Bellingham Pride Family Picnic Come enjoy a picnic at noon in Bloedel Donovan Park (2214 Electric Ave.) with the entire Bellingham Pride family (that includes you!). Donations gratefully accepted to cover the cost of food. www.bhampride.org/events.shtml Saturday, JULY 12 Bellingham Annual ISCEE Pride Drag Show (21+) Doors 6:30 p.m. Show at 7:30 p.m. Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.) $5 cover. Annual Rumor’s Pride Party to follow. www.bhampride.org/events.shtml Saturday, JULY 12 Bellingham All Ages B-Proud Dance 8:00-11:00 p.m., Bloedel Donovan Park Community Building (2214 Electric Ave.) $3.00 admission, proceeds benefit Pride. All ages welcome! www.bhampride.org/events.shtml Saturday, JULY 12 Bellingham Rumors Pride Celebration (21+) 10 p.m.-2 a.m. (close), Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.), cover. www.bhampride.org/events.shtml Sunday, JULY 13 Bellingham Pride Parade Noon. Starts at Ohio & Cornwall, travels along Cornwall Ave., ends at Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Ave.). More info at http://www.bhampride.org/events.shtml Sunday, JULY 13 Bellingham Pride Festival Until 4:00 p.m., Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Ave.). Features various vendors, children’s activities, appearances by local and state dignitaries. $2 suggested donation. Pride Party to follow at Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.). www.bhampride.org/events.shtml Sunday, JULY 20 Kitsap Pride “Reflection of Pride” is this year’s theme for Kitsap Pride’s annual celebration, noon to 5 p.m., at Evergreen Park (1500 Park Ave.) in downtown Bremerton. www.kitsappride.org. Sunday, AUGUST 3 Vancouver (B.C.) Pride Parade & Festival Parade begins at noon in Vancouver’s downtown/West End at Robson and Thurlow streets and proceeds via Denman to festival site at Sunset Beach. Sponsored by Vancouver Pride Society. www.vancouverpride.ca.
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NW NEWS
the list of volunteers, call 206-666-8058 and leave a message, or email your name and phone number with a note that you would made their first appearances at The Gallery, like to volunteer to seamec2014@gmail. and Frankie Knuckles used to blow up bal- com. loons for the club. Frankie would also often bring DJ Larry Levan around to check out 1ST SECURITY BANK the music. This was a time before disco was HOSTS SHRED-IT! TO KEEP disco, and before the imposing velvet ropes OUR COMMUNITY SECURE of the high-society discotheques. Clean out those closets and garages! On To honor Siano’s work with HIV/AIDS Sunday, June 8, from noon-2 p.m., 1st Seprevention and alternative treatments, all curity Bank hosts Capitol Hill Shred-it & proceeds of this screening will benefit Gay eWaste Recycling Day in conjunction with City Health Project. Additionally, a con- the 10th Annual Capitol Hill Chamber tribution of $5 will enter the donor into a Clean Sweep Event at Cal Anderson Park, drawing for a signed copy of the DVD. A to- in the Hugo House parking lot (1634 11th tal of eight copies will be given away during Ave.). a random drawing of all qualified donors. A To help support the reduction of identity Paypal account is required to donate online. theft crimes, 1st Security Bank invites resiCash only donations can also be made at dents from our Puget Sound communities each screening. The drawing will be held on to shred and recycle their sensitive docuSunday, June 8, and winners will be contact- ments and/or recycle electronic eWaste such ed. www.loveisthemessagemovie.com; www. as computers, laptops and televisions that facebook.com/events/480575998735739/ are no longer in use. You may bring up to 10 boxes or bags of SEAMEC – paper to be shredded. Shredding is free and SEEKING CANDIDATE will be done on a first come, first served baEVALUATION INTERVIEWERS sis until the truck is full. Get engaged in LGBTQ politics. Become There are items that can be put into the a Volunteer SEAMEC Candidate Evaluation shredder with the paper and there are items Interviewer! that cannot: Election season is upon us once again, What is okay: Paper clips, staples, Acco and it is time for our community to actively fasteners (metal prongs in manila folder), determine which candidates for public of- binder clips, rubber bands, window envefice are LGBTQ friendly. The Seattle Metro- lopes, and manila folders. politan Elections Committee (SEAMEC) is What must be removed prior to shreda non-partisan, all volunteer organization ding: X-rays, actual photographs, anything whose members are dedicated to rating can- covered in plastic (for example, sheet prodidates on how educated and amendable tectors and transparencies), all 3-ring bindthey are toward their LGBTQ constituents ers, all computer data binders (used primarand their issues. SEAMEC needs volunteer ily for continuous form paper), newspapers, candidate evaluation interviewers who can and magazines. spare 3 hours on a weekday evening to ask Electronic Waste Recycling: You’re invited our future leaders a whole lot of pointed to bring up to 10 of the *FREE* items listed questions, and rate them on their response. below (per person). “We need about 20 interviewers who are *FREE*: TV, CPUs, computer monitors, available in the last three weeks in June. This laptops, cell phones. is a great chance to get face time with future $5 per Item: DVD players, fax machines, state legislators, judges, and members of the cable boxes, small servers, MP3 players, U.S. Congress. The interviews go in depth, VHS players, scanners, stereo and speakers, but there is an opportunity for volunteers modems, video game consoles, small printto ask their own questions at the end,” said ers (for home use). a SEAMEC Board member. A high-ranking $10 per Item: Large printers, large fax mascore from SEAMEC is much coveted by chines, microwaves (no old push-button progressive and open-minded candidates. styles). A volunteer orientation for prospective $20 per Item: Large microwaves. SEAMEC interviewers will be held on SatExtra large printer? Please call (425) 239urday, June 7 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the 4118 and ask for price. Capitol Hill Branch of the Seattle Library loFor more information, please visit our cated at 425 Harvard Avenue East. To get on website: www.fsbwa.com/shred-it continued from page 8
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Seattle Gay News
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Celebrating 41 Years!
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Health and Personal Services
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HIV/AIDS
continued from cover actors have demonstrated,” warned Wayne Turner, attorney for The National Health Law Program. The complaining organizations said they did not know how many HIV/AIDS patients had purchased health plans from the companies named in the complaint, but a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates about 23,000 uninsured people in the U.S. being treated for HIV and AIDS would be eligible for coverage through the online exchange. Although the complaint specifically addresses HIV/AIDS patients, other health advocates have expressed concerns about high co-pays for others with serious illnesses that require expensive drugs, including cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society found exchange plans in several states that charged patients with blood cancer as much
as 50% co-pay rates. Cigna, Humana and CoventryOne said in separate statements that their plans follow the latest HHS guidelines, cover all medically necessary HIV drugs, and offer a variety of options so consumers can pick a plan that best meets their health needs. Preferred Medical did not immediately return a request for comment, Associated Press said. Insurance companies are increasingly sorting drug prices into a complex tier system and, in some cases, charging copay rates as high as 50%. The ACA bans insurers from charging an individual more than $6,350 in out-of pocket costs a year or $12,700 for a family policy. But patients advocates warn those with serious illnesses could pay their entire out-of-pocket cap before their insurance kicks in any money.
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May 30, 2014
Celebrating 41 Years!
Two Lesbians, one Gay man elected to Belfast City Council by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Two Lesbians and one Gay man have been elected to the Belfast City Council in Northern Ireland. Each represents a different party spread across Northern Ireland’s political spectrum. Celebrating her victory, Mary Ellen Campbell of the nationalist Sinn Fein Party tweeted “Aren’t the electorate amazing… Imagine no longer [being] the only gay in the village.” She was joined by Julie Anne Corr of the Progressive Unionist Party and Jeff Dudgeon of the Ulster Unionists. “Whilst I am open about my sexuality, I will not let it define me or allow anyone to fit me into a neat category,” Corr told reporters. Sinn Fein advocates reunion of Northern Ireland with the Irish Republic in the south, and for a long time was identified as the “political wing” of the nationalist Irish Republican Army (IRA). Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams was recently released from custody after being arrested for allegedly ordering a political murder in 1972. Unionists, in contrast, believe in contin-
ued association with the United Kingdom. The Progressive Unionists are the left-wing of the unionist movement, based among Protestant workers in Belfast. The Ulster Unionists are the mainstream unionist party. Of the three candidates, Dudgeon is the best known. In 1975, he filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights charging that Northern Ireland’s laws against Gay sex violated international human rights norms. In 1982, after many years of legal hearings and political agitation, the UK government forced Northern Ireland to decriminalize Gay sex, and bring local laws into line with the rest of England, Wales, and Scotland. Didgeon received an MBE (Member, Order of the British Empire) as acknowledgement of his services to Northern Ireland’s LGBT community. Sinn Fein and the Progressive Unionist Party supported same-sex marriage in the recent but unsuccessful attempt to pass a marriage equality measure in Northern Ireland’s parliament. The Ulster Unionists allowed their members to vote their conscience on the issue.
Prostate cancer may be caused by infection, researchers say Researchers at the University of California say that a sexually transmitted infection may be the cause of prostate cancer. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), identifies a single-cell organism called trichomonas vaginalis as the culprit. The organism is transmitted through unprotected sex. The UC researchers tested human prostate cells in a lab and found that the organism aided cancer growth. Trichomoniasis infection is believed to infect some 275 million people worldwide and is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection. The American Social Health Association estimates that there are 7.4 million new trichomoniasis infections in the United States every year, making the disease one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Scientists say that infected individuals may be entirely asymptomatic and may never be aware that they are infected. Common symptoms include genital irritation and possibly discharge in both men and women. Trichomoniasis is also associated with increased risk of HIV infection and cervical cancer in women. The best preventative measure is regular condom use.
Lead researcher Professor Patricia Johnson said her team found that trichomonas vaginalis secretes a protein that causes inflammation and increased growth and invasion of benign prostate cells by cancerous ones. More studies should now follow to further explore this finding, the research team says. A previous 2009 study showed that a quarter of men with prostate cancer also showed signs of trichomoniasis, and those patients were more likely to have advanced tumors. British scientists expressed some reservations about the new study, however. “This study suggests a possible way the parasite trichomonas vaginalis could encourage prostate cancer cells to grow and develop more quickly,” Nicola Smith, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, told BBC News. “But the research was only done in the lab, and previous evidence in patients failed to show a clear link between prostate cancer and this common sexually transmitted infection. “There’s been a lot of research into prostate cancer risk and we’re working hard to piece together the puzzle. “But there are still no known lifestyle factors that seem to affect the risk of developing the disease – and no convincing evidence for a link with infection. “The risk of prostate cancer is known to increase with age.”
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Trichomonas vaginalis
May 30, 2014
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