Celebrating 41 Years! Issue 42 Volume 42
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Federal judge hears marriage equality case in Wyoming AP Photo / Casper Star-Tribune, Ryan Dorgan
The case was brought by Wyoming Equality and four same-sex couples who requested an immediate order directing state officials to comply with two decisions of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit establishing that a state’s refusal to allow same-sex couples to marry violates the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court, on October 6, let those appeals court decisions stand, meaning that all states within the Tenth Circuit, including Wyoming, must comply with those decisions. The plaintiff couples are Anne Guzzo and Bonnie Robinson of Laramie, Carl Oleson and Rob Johnston of Casper, and Ivan Williams and Chuck Killion of Cheyenne, who previously filed a state-court lawsuit challenging Plaintiffs Bonnie Robinson (l) and her partner Anne Guzzo with Carl Oleson and his partner, Rob Johnston Wyoming’s marriage ban. Also joining the lawsuit are Brie Barth CASPER, WYOMING – On arguments in the challenge to the of same-sex couples who married and Shelly Montgomery of CarThursday, October 17, U.S. District State of Wyoming’s refusal to per- in other states. Judge Skavdahl said penter, who attempted to obtain Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl of mit same-sex couples to marry that he will issue his ruling by 5:00 a marriage license in Wyoming the District of Wyoming heard and to respect the legal marriages p.m., Monday, October 20th. after the Supreme Court deci-
sion but were refused. Wyoming Equality is the state’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Wyoming’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community. Its members include same-sex couples across the state. Each of the couples wishes to be married in Wyoming or to have their existing marriage respected by the State of Wyoming. The requested order would remain in place while the plaintiffs’ federal case proceeds. The four couples and Wyoming Equality are represented by Cheyenne attorney Tracy Zubrod, the law firm of Arnold & Porter LLP, the law firm of Rathod Mohamedbahi LLC, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). Said Wyoming Equality Executive Director Jeran Artery: “We are grateful that the court has moved quickly in handling see Wyoming page 7
Seattle/King County Despite recent shooting on Clinic with Remote Capitol Hill, progress being made Area Medical® sponsor state’s largest FREE health services event at Seattle Center’s KeyArena October 23-26
seattlecenter.org
SEATTLE – Over 60 health, human service and civic organizations have combined forces to produce the largest free health services event ever in the State of Washington. Seattle/ King County Clinic with Remote Area Medical®, October 23-26, in
KeyArena at Seattle Center, offers a broad range of medical, dental, mental health, and vision care, with a goal of helping 4,000 people in need over the four-day period. see Clinic page 16
JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Despite the recent shooting on Capitol Hill, SPD reports success in crime reduction in the neighborhood and worked with officers as far away as Los Angeles, California to arrest a group of teens that committed crimes here and then fled, in a stolen car, to California. In other words, Arrests have gone up and for the first time in a long time, crime has begun to go down. But Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole says that the department isn’t about to declare victory yet. “One assault or mugging is one too many,” she said. Teens believe to have pistolwhipped a man on Capitol Hill arrested in LA Last week, SPD reported they made multiple street-crime arrests. Chief O’Toole said they believe the arrest of a group of youths by police in Los Angeles made a big impact, but said due to an ongoing investigation she could not elaborate on why that is. On September 30, Los Angeles police arrested the three teens in
Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole
a stolen Ford Fusion. SPD believes the teens pistol-whipped a man on Capitol Hill. In addition, investigators have linked them with other robberies in the neighborhood.
same period in 2013, there were 77 aggravated assaults and 81 robberies. And in the January-August period in 2012, there were 48 aggravated assaults and 59 robberies. There is no doubt, even according to their own Chief O’Toole “proud of the data, that assaults have increased. work our detectives are doing” In response to the increase in According to SPD, there were 84 crime, which varies in severity deaggravated assaults and 89 robber- pending on who you talk to, O’Toole ies on Capitol Hill between January see Progress page 6 and August this year. During the
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Orgullo Latin@ LGBTQ Pride Festival a tremendous success Brittin Baker
A vendor at Orgullo donated handmade dolls from Puerto Villarta, Mexico to SOSea’s “From the Heart Christmas Gift Giving Program” to support homeless LGBTQ youth and families.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Social Outreach Seattle’s first-ever Orgullo Latin@ LGBTQ Pride Festival was a tremendous success. The inaugural event, produced for SOSea by Peruvian recording artist Jack Mozie, also a founding member of SOSea, and a coalition of organizers named Raza Y Orgullo (R.Y.O.) was held October 11 from 1-4 p.m. at El Centro de la Raza (2524 16th Ave. S.) and featured performances by drag queens, local singers, and commentary by Shaun Knittel,
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the founder and president of SOSea, as well as two workshops and a number of vendors and local organizations who tabled at the important cultural exchange event. “Events like Orgullo are important because they are a way for the LGBTQ Latin population in Seattle to be remain visible,” Jack Mozie said. “El Centro de la Raza was an excellent venue for this event and we thank them for their hospitality.” El Centro de la Raza is a voice and a hub for Seattle and Martin Luther King, Jr. County’s Latino community. El Centro’s
leadership advocates on behalf of Latino people and works to achieve social justice. “Through our comprehensive programs and services, we empower members of the Latino community as fully participating members of society,” El Centro officials say on the organization’s official website www. ElCentroDeLaRaza.org. “We also work to raise awareness with the general public, and government, business and civic leaders about the needs of the Chicano/Latino community in the United States.” In addition, the organization has a strong commitment to the struggle for civil rights for all persons, regardless of race, and a rich history of services to the community. Many of their program participants come back to El Centro de la Raza to join advocacy efforts, to volunteer, or just to visit. Along with their local work, El Centro maintains an international perspective and connections and continues to work for positive social change in the global community. El Centro de la Raza, however, is known mostly as a straight or hetero Latino organization. As one of SOSea’s strongest community bridge-builders, Jack Mozie saw Orgullo as a chance to eliminate such a divide. He approached El Centro leadership and, with the help of R.Y.O. and some special volunteers, worked to create the 2014 Orgullo Latin@ LGBTQ Pride Festival. “We needed to bridge the gap that existed between the Latin community and the LGBT community in Seattle. We’ve been celebrating both identities separately for years, but never the interconnection that exists between the two,” said Jack Mozie One of those volunteers is Maria Guzman-Gavidia, Jack Mozie’s mother. Maria is about as supportive as a mother with a Gay son could be – she supports Jack’s musical endeavors and his activism and community see Orgullo page 21
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@mariekb via Twitter
Police on scene after shooting at East Pike St.
Progress
continued from cover asked East Precinct Commander Captain Pierre Davis to order officers to conduct emphasis patrols focused mostly in the nightlife areas on and around East Pike Street and East Pine Street and Broadway. “I’m really proud of the work our detectives have been doing,” O’Toole said. “We’ve deployed a lot of resources out here.” And the department says they have numbers to back up claims that the patrols have worked. Since September 5, when the patrols began, Captain Davis says street robberies have dropped 42 percent and assaults during
the same period decreased 35 percent. Chief O’Toole said the decrease is the result of extra resources the city and the Police Department have allocated to Capitol Hill. But, she said, some of the decrease is because the weather has turned chillier. Captain Davis says police will continue their emphasis patrols. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” he cautioned. Davis said the department has continued to make street-crime arrests. One of the fears that many Capitol Hill business owners, residents, and community activists have is that traditionally when the weather cools, the police – as well as the criminals – seems to disappear. After a sum-
mer with crime as bad as this one, residents have now asked that this trend stop and that the department look at ways to keep the patrols on the Hill year-round to act as a deterrent to would-be criminals. And with the commerce that Capitol Hill’s entertainment district now brings to the table that request shouldn’t be hard to meet. Gunfire erupts on the Hill; arrest made and gun recovered The LGBTQ community is traditionally a nonviolent community. In fact, we demand it of each other for the most part. Just look at our many Pride celebrations around the world. The only violence ever really done is either aimed at us or done by someone outside of our community during Pride weekend. We preach and practice peace. The straight community does not. The majority is sadly mired in violence. Guns, robberies, muggings, rapes and more are a sad and ridiculous common occurrence. Now that is not to say that LGBTQ people have never committed a crime or have never been convicted of committing crimes. Let’s not be silly. But what nobody can deny is that we, as a whole, are far more peaceful than our straight brothers and sisters. So incidents like gunfire erupting in the street on Capitol Hill leave a lasting impression. On Friday, at 1:30 a.m., Police and Seattle Fire units rushed to 10th Avenue, just outside of Havana Nightclub between East Pike Street and East Pine Street, amid crowds of nightlife revelers who reported seeing a suspect wearing a red hoodie running from the scene after he had shot another man. The victim was reported by police to be a male in his 30s, shot in the forearm, and was found “conscious and alert” at the scene. Police were able to gather a description and
name and possible whereabouts of the 24-yearold suspect from the victim. Police say the suspect is a 24-year-old who reportedly opened fire in a dispute involving a former girlfriend. The police report confirms what most of us in the LGBTQ community already knew to be true – a straight person brought a gun to the Hill and for whatever reason (because there never really is a good reason for this stupid behavior) shot someone. “Shortly before 2 AM an angry ex-boyfriend found his former girlfriend with another ex-beau at 11 Ave and Pike Street on Capitol Hill. The confrontation escalated to the point where the incensed ex-boyfriend pulled out a gun and fired multiple rounds, striking the victim in the arm.” According to SPD, officers arrested the 24-year-old suspect from the early morning shooting on Capitol Hill within seven hours of the incident. Police arrested the suspect and recovered the handgun when he turned himself in to officers at the North Precinct. The shooting was a continuation of an incident in Snohomish County, where the suspect may be facing additional charges. After interviewing him, officers booked the man into King County Jail on investigation of assault. The 24-year-old is currently held for investigation of domestic violence assault. In 2012, the suspect pleaded guilty to fourth degree assault and vehicle prowling in a case in which a Bellevue police officer said the man spit on him after he was arrested for busting a light and breaking into a vehicle at a mall. In a request to have his 60-day sentence changed to work release, the man’s defense attorney wrote that his client didn’t remember much of the night in the Bellevue incident and was suffering from “intoxicated delirium” and had consumed so much alcohol that he required care at the hospital where he spit on the police officer.
Malixe
SML Elects Leather Daddy 2015 Senior Services offers a one-day training on October 24: “Improving Aging Services for LGBTQ Elders” Senior Services is offering a one-day training session, “Improving Aging Services for LGBTQ Elders,” based on the curriculum set by the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging (NRC). The training will be held on Friday, October 24. The training is targeted toward social/community workers or others involved in social outreach and networking person who would like to improve their own engagement with the LGBTQ elder community. Anyone interested in the topic is welcome to participate. “Improving Aging Services for LGBTQ Elders” Friday, October 24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Senior Services, Lillian Rice Building, 2208 Second Avenue, Seattle Cost (including lunch): $25
Leather Daddy 2015 Daddy Griff on stage after being awarded the Seattle Leather Daddy Contest at the Cuff Complex
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This eight-hour training will include education and implementation components relative to improving aging services for LGBTQ elders. Those in attendance will be guided through understanding some of the particular nuances around: · The culture, needs, and concerns of LGBTQ older adults · Identifying health disparities between LGBTQ older adults and those who are not LGBTQ · Implementing practices for helping LGBTQ older adults to feel more included in aging network organizations · Reviewing and changing your policies, practices, procedures, and forms to be more inclusive
· Practice using role playing and dialogue to support inclusion and address bias To register, send an email to trainingreg@ seniorservices.org, (include dietary exclusions with registration) Questions: Marxa Marnia, M.E.S., Staff Training and Development Coordinator, 206-268-6705, marxam@seniorservices.org Senior Services envisions a just society where aging adults and those who care about them can live their best lives. In our healthy community, empowered elders who need help will know where to find information, advice and support. Those who can will offer support and experience a greater sense of purpose as they connect with meaningful service opportunities. We are building programs that include and engage older people and those who love them in an interdependent community. A special responsibility for bringing this vision to reality is ours as the premier provider, promoter and champion for improving the lives of older adults. Senior Services is the most comprehensive non-profit agency serving older adults and their loved ones in Washington State. Established in 1967, we promote positive aging for nearly 70,000 seniors and those who care for them in King County through our integrated system of quality programs and senior centers. More than 3,300 volunteers, together with 250 employees, make our work possible and efficient. Courtesy of Senior Services
Celebrating 41 Years!
No marriage for you! North Carolina magistrate says; Governor vows to uphold equality Stephen M. Katz | The Virginian-Pilot
Randall Jackson (l) and William Locklear
At the same time, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has promised to uphold a federal court ruling that Gay and Lesbian A magistrate in Pasquotank County, couples have a right to marry in the state. North Carolina has refused to marry a local William Locklear and his partner Randell Gay couple, The Pilot Newspaper reports. Jackson hoped to be married October 13, by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
after U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. struck down North Carolina’s ban on same-sex marriages on October 10. However, when the couple turned up at Pasquotank County Courthouse, the magistrate turned them away. “He said, ‘I won’t be performing your marriage because of my religious beliefs,’ “ Locklear explained. Locklear was not impressed by the official’s excuse. “He has to do his job,” Locklear said. “He is not there to preach to us.” Pasquotank County Clerk of Superior Court Connie Thornley agreed with him. Magistrates must marry Gay couples or risk losing their jobs, she said. “They cannot refuse.” While Locklear reportedly named the official who refused to marry him, The Pilot did not identify him, but said they could not reach him for comment. North Carolina magistrates are nominated by county clerks of court, appointed by superior court judges, and supervised by chief district court judges, according to the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. Thornley said she was waiting for instructions from the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts on any procedure change.
Marriages should begin October 14, with other magistrates, she added. “It has all happened so fast,” she said. “All this has passed, and they didn’t have things in place.” “There’s a lot of confusion,” Jackson confirmed. “We just want to be married.” Judge Cogburn’s October 10 ruling came in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to hear appeals of lower court rulings in favor of same-sex marriage. One of the cases at issue originated in the Fourth Circuit Court, which also has jurisdiction over North Carolina, so the Supreme Court’s action removed any legal obstacle to Cogburn ruling in the North Carolina case. North Carolina’s Governor, Pat McCrory fought same-sex marriage and supported the 2012 ballot measure outlawing it, but he vowed to uphold the federal court’s decision. “I think it’s a time for healing on all sides,” he said. “Now that the disagreement has been resolved in the courts, it’s our job to live together and work together and play together and respect each other together.” Pasquotank County is in the northeast corner of North Carolina, just across the Virginia border from Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
as interpreted by the Tenth Circuit. We are pleased that the court will rule by Monday and hope that it will allow all Wyoming our case, which affects so many families couples to begin enjoying the security, across Wyoming who are seeking equal respect, and protection that marriage prodignity and full legal recognition. We vides as soon as possible.” are confident that the judge will give this important case the consideration it deCourtesy of serves, and we look forward to the court’s the National Center for Lesbian Rights decision.” Said NCLR Senior Staff Attorney Chris The National Center for Lesbian Rights Stoll: “The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals is a national legal organization committed has ruled that state laws prohibiting same- to advancing the human and civil rights of sex couples from marrying violate the U.S. the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and TransgenConstitution’s guarantees of due process der community through litigation, public and equal protection of the laws. The State policy advocacy, and public education. of Wyoming is obligated to follow the law www.NCLRights.org
www.nclrights.org
Wyoming
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Plaintiffs Ivan Williams and Chuck Killion
Murray and Cantwell urge Obama to appoint LGBT Rights envoy Washington’s two U.S. Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, have joined 22 other Senators in a letter to President Obama, urging him to appoint a Special Envoy for LGBT Human Rights within the State Department. The effort was organized by Senator Edward Markey (D-MA), who drafted previous legislation calling for the envoy. The Senators’ letter notes that more than 80 countries still list Gay sex as a crime, prohibit public support for the LGBT community, or promote homophobia. Seven countries specify the death penalty for Gay residents. The letter singles out Uganda and Nigeria as countries that have passed new anti-Gay laws this year. “We believe the time has come to take the next step,” the Senators say in their letter. “To adequately address the challenges posed by these new discriminatory laws, there needs to be coordination of action across the federal government. That is why we are calling on you to create a Special En-
voy within the State Department who would serve as principal advisor to the Secretary of State on LGBT issues and can coordinate our efforts to resist these discriminatory laws.” Murray said a Special Envoy on LGBT rights would help the U.S. apply its human rights policy in countries that may have anti-Gay legislation or policies. “As many nations condone discrimination and hatred against LGBT people, the United States must stand with the LGBT community in the struggle for equality around the globe,” Murray said in an October 15 statement. “Appointing a Special Envoy for LGBT rights at the Department of State will help our foreign policy leaders meet the challenges before us as they work to ensure equality for all people around the globe.” In addition to Murray, Cantwell, and Markey, the letter was signed by Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (l) and U.S. Senator Patty Murray
(D-CT), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kristen E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Al Franken (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT), Charles E. Schumer (DNY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Brian Schatz (D-HI).
Murray was also one of the original cosponsors of Markey’s International Human Rights Defense Act, introduced in June. That bill calls for the creation of a Special Envoy for LGBT rights in addition to other measures to protect LGBT rights internationally. To date the Senate has not acted on Markey’s legislation.
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LGBT athletes: Making an impact, on and off the field Ross Forman
Michael Sam
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The Journey The mainstream sports world has a long history linked to the gay community, dating back decades. But mainstream sports also has, without question, been the tallest mountain for the LGBT community to scale. A year after Kopay came out, an English figure skater, John Curry, came out and became the first openly gay athlete to win Olympic gold. Then, in 1977, Renée Richards won a lawsuit against the U.S. Tennis Association because she was barred as a transwoman from competing as a woman in the 1976 U.S. Open. In 1981, Billie Jean King was outed by her ex-lover, Marilyn Barnett. That same year, fellow tennis sensation Martina Navratilova came out as a lesbian in an article in the New York Daily News. King and Navratilova are two of the greatest tennis players of all time. In 1982, the inaugural multi-sport Gay Games was held in San Francisco. It was started by an openly gay former U.S. Olympic decathlete, Dr. Tom Waddell. “In the gay community, people such as David Kopay, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and so many others … it is absolutely necessary for us to remember all of those people who were the trailblazers, those people who laid down their lives, their blood, so the younger
generation can be who they are,” Tuaolo said. “David Kopay is my hero, my rock. If I didn’t read his book in 1996, I probably would be dead right now – and I’m not joking about that. For him to have been brave in the 1970s and try to educate people, he really was the brave one, amid death threats and so much more.” Tuaolo met Kopay for the first time shortly after coming out. It was at Kopay’s Southern California home, “and I cried like a little baby, because the impact he had on my life was absolutely amazing. I could never re-pay him for what he did – for me and so many others. “David Kopay deserves so much more respect and admiration [from the gay community] than what he now gets.” Kopay, who was born in Chicago, was a running back at the University of Washington, who then played in the NFL from 1964’72. He rushed for 876 career yards and scored three career touchdowns. Kopay’s career included stints with five teams, most notably the San Francisco 49ers. The 1990s featured the coming-out of former NFL player Roy Simmons and former major league baseball player Glenn Burke. Burke died of complications from AIDS two years after coming out, yet his legacy is seen almost daily in the sports world and beyond – he is credited with inventing the high-5. Burke also was honored at the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Olympic diver Greg Louganis came out in 1994 and a year later, Ian Roberts, one of Australia’s most popular rugby players, came out. In 1996, elite-level figure skater Rudy Galindo came out. In 1998, LPGA Hall of Famer Patty Sheehan came out as a lesbian. That same year, Billy Bean also came out as gay. Bean played Major League Baseball from 1987-1995, and earlier in 2014 he was hired by MLB as its new “Ambassador for Inclusion.” “As a community, we definitely have evolved, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. But it’s still better than 15 or 20 years ago,” Tuaolo said. “Every time a pro athlete comes out, as well as college and high school athletes, it definitely helps the cause.” The coming-outs continued at a faster pace in the 2000s, as well as the denials that someone is gay. New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, for instance, held a press conference to announce he is straight. In 2004, golf sensation Rosie Jones came out, and the following year basketball star Sheryl Swoopes did the same. (Years later, Swoopes revealed she was engaged to a man.) In 2006, Gay Games VII was held in Chicago and the inaugural World OutGames was held weeks later in Montreal – truly showcasing the size of the gay community Michael Buckner/Getty Images North America
Esera Tuaolo walked onto the fabled grass at Wisconsin’s Lambeau Field September 14 to sing the national anthem before the Green Bay Packers’ home opener against the New York Jets. He wore a green Packers jersey with No. 98 on it and admittedly was both excited and nervous. In addition to his performance, the team’s pregame ceremony included a video tribute to the 200th anniversary of the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and there was a fly-over before the game and a standing-room-only crowd. Tuaolo was doing something he had done before – in that same setting, wearing the same uniform. Tuaolo, who played in the NFL from 1991-’99, spent two seasons with the Packers in the early 1990s – and he sang the National Anthem at Lambeau October 17, 1991, as a rookie before a game against the Chicago Bears. Tuaolo, who played at Oregon State University before being selected by Green Bay in the second-round of the 1991 NFL Draft, was deep in the closet during the 1991 performance. Tuaolo is now a proud, openly gay man – and the Packers still wanted him back, to sing and to honor him and other former players during the team’s alumni weekend. It was his first trip back to Lambeau Field since coming out publicly as gay in 1999. “It was very special, and walking into that stadium as an openly gay man was absolutely amazing,” he said. “And to see and hear the support of [about] 80,000 fans was overwhelming and very emotional.” The moment also was very surreal for the former gridiron star, whose career also included time with five teams before he stepped off the field after the 1999 season
with the Carolina Panthers. “That probably was one of the best [renditions of the] National Anthem I’ve ever done,” said Tuaolo, who left the field to cheers and countless high-fives from fans. “It was really nice for people to see me for who I really am.” Tuaolo, now 46 and living in Minnesota, has seemingly come full circle. He’s no longer hiding his sexual orientation behind his pads, weighed down by fear, nerves and perhaps guilt. His smile is now ever-present and sincere. “We’re now definitely living in a different time, [largely] due to education that the LGBT community has put out there,” he said. Tuaolo, who was born in Honolulu, is one of the most prominent figures in the LGBT sports community. He’s an advocate, outspoken in support of all gay rights and one of the few gays who also can call themselves a professional athlete. In football, for instance, that list starts with David Kopay, who in 1975 became one of the first pro athletes to come out. He was an AllAmerican running back at the University of Washington in 1961 who then was signed by the San Francisco 49ers. He played professional football from 1964 to 1972. His 1977 biography, The David Kopay Story, was a bestseller – and a key factor in Tuaolo’s life, among others. “David Kopay didn’t realize that what he did [by coming out] in the 1970s helped so many, [including] myself, Michael Sam and so, so many others. And I hope when I came out, it too helped others,” Tuaolo said. Other high-level, now-out football players include Kwame Harris, Conner Mertens, Michael Sam, Roy Simmons, Jerry Smith and Wade Davis. All, except Mertens, who is a current out college player, and Michael Sam, who came out after completing his college football career before being
by Ross Forman Windy City Times Special to the SGN
drafted by the St. Louis Rams and is now playing for the Dallas Cowboys, came out after retiring from the sport. Davis, who played preseason games in the NFL and then in NFL Europe, is now the executive director of the “You Can Play” project, a social activism campaign dedicated to eliminating homophobia in sports, based around the slogan, “If you can play, you can play.” The “You Can Play” campaign was launched on March 4, 2012, in honor of the death of Brendan Burke, a gay team manager for the Miami University (Ohio) hockey team and the son of longtime NHL executive Brian Burke. Justin Fashanu is another interesting story. “Fashanu was a British footballer or soccer player who came out in 1990. He continued to play, in Britain, North America and New Zealand for seven more years. It was over 20 years before another professional soccer player who was still playing came out. Fashanu should be remembered as a pioneer who demonstrated it was possible to come out in a professional team sport and carry on playing. His unfortunate suicide in 1998 had little or nothing to do with his experiences as an openly gay soccer player,” said Jim Read, author of Justin Fashanu the Biography.
David Kopay
Celebrating 41 Years!
out on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and later when he was picked up by the Brooklyn Nets basketball team, he became the first openly gay male player in one of the four major men’s sports. Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir finally confirmed what had long been speculated – that he is gay. Coming-outs over the past few years have also included pro sports team presidents (Rick Welts), prominent sports writers (Steve Buckley) and more. Lesbian businesswoman Laura Ricketts was already out when her family purchased the Chicago Cubs baseball team. In early 2014, Michael Sam came out. A former college football standout, he is hoping to become the first active, out NFL player. Sam was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, ultimately released by the Rams and then signed to the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. Sam dreams of stepping onto an NFL field. The entire gay community walks alongside him. “When I see Michael Sam coming out, I think it’s definitely a step forward for the LGBT community in the sports realm,” Tuaolo said. “When did you think that an openly gay man would be drafted into the NFL? That’s progress! “It was amazing that Michael Sam came out – but look, if he hadn’t come out [before being drafted, Sam] would have been a first- or second-round [draft] pick, flat out. But, him coming out and living his truth, [pushed him into] the last round of the draft, which I thought was ridiculous. That was a step backwards, especially for the in-the-closet college athlete who wanted to come out. Now they likely are questioning whether or not they should come out, because if that’s what happened to Michael Sam, that probably will happen to me, too. “That said, we are moving forward in the
blackhistory.psu.edu
and its passion for sports. In 2007, John Amaechi became the first former NBA player to come out. And when fellow former NBA player Tim Hardaway told a radio station “I hate gay people,” it lead to swift consequences, including firing by the basketball team he was coaching. In 2008, the gay world was awash in Matthew Mitcham mania as the Australian, who was the only openly gay man competing at the Beijing Summer Olympics, captured gold. Then, in 2009, Sherri Murrell became the first out lesbian coach in NCAA Division I basketball. “It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come,” for gays in the sports world, Tuaolo said. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve definitely come forward and the response from society as a whole is that it is not an LGBT issue anymore; it is an equality issue.” Since 2010, it truly has been a flood of LGBTs-in-sports – and unprecedented support for LGBT rights by straight allies in sports, such as Ben Cohen and Hudson Taylor, who each launched organizations in 2011 for the cause. Kye Allums was the first openly transgender person to play for a women’s college basketball team, and Fallon Fox is an openly transgender mixed martial arts competitor. In professional women’s sports, it has always been slightly easier to be out, but still a long road. Leigh-Ann Naidoo was out as a women’s beach volleyball player for South Africa in the 2004 Olympics, and Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach are now out soccer players. Speaking of soccer, Robbie Rogers became the first openly gay active male soccer player in the U.S. Jason Collins made history when he came
John Amaechi
right direction.” So where will the LGBT community stand in sports in, say, five years? It won’t be an issue at all, Tuaolo said. LGBTs will be playing in the major, male team sports, and coming-outs won’t be national news. “Back in the day, being gay in sports was a shameful and a bad thing. But slowly it
has progressed so that being gay is not a bad thing, not a shameful thing,” Tuaolo said. Ross Forman is a sports reporter for Windy City Times. He also covers the sports beat for other mainstream media, and is involved as an official and participant in gay and straight sports leagues.
Houston plays hardball with anti-Gay pastors Attorneys for the City of Houston have subpoenaed copies of sermons delivered by anti-Gay pastors to determine if they violated federal tax laws by taking a position in the ongoing controversy over the city’s new LGBT rights ordinances. The subpoenas demanded “all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO, the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession.” HERO, the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, was passed in May this year, and adds protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to Houston’s civil rights laws. Opponents tried to file a petition to put the measure up for a referendum, but Houston City Attorney David Feldman ruled that the petitions were invalid. The issue is still under litigation. Targets of the legal action were high-profile pastors and religious leaders who have called for repeal of the ordinance. The antiGay Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a motion on behalf of the pastors seeking to quash the subpoenas. Predictably, right-wing news media threw a fit over the City’s legal action. Fox News reported “City of Houston demands pastors turn over sermons,” while World Net daily claimed “Houston demands oversight of sermons.” Houston’s Lesbian Mayor, Annise Parker
said she was not aware of the subpoenas until October 13, a month after they were issued, because the documents were prepared by private attorneys working pro bono on the City’s behalf. Parker said she believes the subpoenas were overly broad, and Feldman said he will move to narrow the scope of the legal investigation to statements related to the referendum petition alone. The legal issue at stake is whether the pastors violated their tax-exempt status by advocating for a ballot measure. The Johnson Amendment, passed by Congress in 1954, forbids 501(c) organizations – a category which includes most churches – from intervening in political campaigns. The City of Houston wants the text of the sermons to determine if they violated this law by telling parishioners to sign the petition against HERO. While most right-wing Christians are accusing Houston’s city administration of “homofascism,” Christian Reconstructionist Joel McDurmon wrote a cautionary piece on his American Vision website. “There is no doubt that the Mayor and City Council are radical and aggressive LGBT activists trying to advance their agenda against all morality and the will of the people in the actual subject matter behind these headlines,” McDurmon wrote. “But the actual case does not warrant these alarming headlines, and our activists ought to be more responsible. “The City is not making a move to monitor sermons,” McDurmon continued. “The
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Johnny Hanson / Houston chronicle
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Mayor Annise Parker and City Attorney David Feldman
City is merely responding to a lawsuit against it and using standard powers of discovery in regard to a handful of pastors who are implicated as relevant to the lawsuit. The issue is here: once you file a lawsuit, you open up yourself and potentially your friends and acquaintances to discovery. This is the aspect that has not been reported, but it is an important part of the context. This is basic court procedure. But the headlines make it sound like a surprise
attack by leftists advancing their agenda on unsuspecting Christians.” For a number of years right-wing Christian churches have participated in an annual event called Pulpit Freedom Sunday in which pastors openly violate the Johnson Amendment. The event was expressly created in order to goad the federal government into finally charging somebody so that the law could be challenged on First Amendment grounds.
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Patients will receive treatment on a firstcome, first-served basis. They may park freeof-charge in 1st Avenue N. Garage at Seattle Center beginning at 12:01 a.m. on each day of the Clinic. The Northwest Rooms will serve as the waiting area, where admission numbers will be distributed beginning at 3:30 a.m. for the current day. Doors to KeyArena open at 5:30 a.m., and patients will be admitted by number into the Clinic. Inside, all procedures, services, and prescriptions are provided free-of-charge. Patients will not need to show identification or proof of citizenship, and interpretation services will be available for those who need them. (See related advertisement below.) The effort, involving months of preparation and thousands of professional and individual volunteers, will transform the form and function of KeyArena. Luxury guest suites will be converted to medical examination rooms. Sixty dental operatories will take over the basketball court/
are still tens of thousands of people across our state without access to healthcare services,” said Christine Lindquist M.P.H, Executive Director with the Washington Healthcare Access Alliance. “The giant clinic is an opportunity not only to address acute health problems, such as an infected tooth or the need for glasses, but to provide medical screenings and connect patients with local resources to help them with continuity of care.” Seattle/King County Clinic is produced in partnership with the humanitarian organization Remote Area Medical® and more than 60 health, human service and civic organizations from across the State of Washington. Hundreds of licensed healthcare professionals will staff the clinic, donating their time and expertise. Please help us inform those in need of this opportunity. More information on the Seattle/King County Clinic with concert floor. Fifteen vision lanes will oc- RAM is available at: seattlecenter.org/pacupy the KeyArena concourse and lower tients or by calling 206-684-7200. court. X-ray machines, mammography, About the Host Community 3-D Cone Beam image scanning and other diagnostic equipment will be on site. A The following organizations are collabomobile optical lab will produce 300 pairs rating to produce the clinic and contributof eyeglasses each day. “This is not just another health fair. Seat- ing needed resources and expertise: tle/King County Clinic patients will receive AARP, AEG, AllScan 3D, American Red real and, in many instances, extensive care including dental fillings and extractions, Cross, Antioch University, Auston James comprehensive eye exams and free prescrip- Photography, Ballmer Family Giving, tion eyeglasses, physical exams, Pap smears, Bastyr University, Bill & Melinda Gates mammograms, EKGs, X-rays, lab tests, flu Foundation, Brooks Sports, Inc., Ceres vaccines, foot care, acupuncture and much, Roasting Company, Coca-Cola, Delivery much more,” said Andrew Lofton, Executive Express, Experience Dentistry, Group Health, Hepatitis Education Project, HisDirector, Seattle Housing Authority. The inspiration for the clinic emerged panic Dental Association, InDemand from 50th Anniversary of the 1962 Seattle Interpreting, King County, King County World’s Fair in 2012 at Seattle Center. The Nurses Association, Max Technologies, six-month celebration addressed issues of Levy Restaurants, McKibben Merner importance to the region, including Global Family Foundation, Medical Teams InHealth, which prompted organizers to con- ternational, The Norcliffe Foundation, sider what could be done to support local Optometric Physicians of WA, Patterson Dental, Pacific Office Automation, Philhealthcare needs. “Despite the Affordable Care Act, there ips, Pineapple Hospitality, Public Health
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– Seattle & King County, Ripe Catering, Seattle Animal Shelter, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle Center, Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Human Services, Seattle Monorail Services, Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Police Department, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle-King County Dental Society, Swedish, Triumph Expo & Events, United Way of King County, UW Medicine, UW School of Dentistry, UW School of Public Health, Virginia Mason, VOSH Northwest, WA Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons, WA Academy of General Dentistry, WA Association of Naturopathic Physicians, WA Dental Service Foundation, WA Global Health Alliance, WA Healthcare Access Alliance, WA State Dental Association, WA State Dental Hygienists’ Association, WA State Nurses Association, WA State Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, World Vision (NOTE: This list is as of 9-21-14.) About Remote Area Medical® Remote Area Medical® (RAM) is a nonprofit, volunteer relief corps founded in 1985 by Stan Brock, known to many for his work on the television show “Wild Kingdom.” Initially focused on providing healthcare access to people in remote areas of the world such as Haiti and Guyana, in 1992, RAM was asked to hold a clinic in the United States and before long began receiving invitations from rural and urban areas across the country. Guided by its mission to prevent pain and alleviate suffering for people in need by providing free, compassionate, quality healthcare without discrimination, RAM has partnered with communities around the United States to hold over 700 clinics and serve over 500,000 patients. For more information, visit ramusa.org.
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HealthFest offers health and wellness options for individuals and their families The first ever HealthFest at Seattle Center offers a broad range of free information and services for individuals and their families to help them achieve healthier lives, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, October 25-26, in Seattle Center Armory. The two-day resource fair welcomes the whole community to connect with local health, human, and social service providers – over 40 exhibitors and presenters in all. HealthFest offers free flu shots, health screenings and emergency preparedness tips. Participants may find help in navigating health insurance, collect valuable nutritional and fitness ideas, and join in discussions on health and wellness. HealthFest Highlights · Group Visits, presented hourly on health topics like contraception, gastritis, skin care, back and neck pain and what the Affordable Healthcare Act means to individuals and families. · Seminars that empower individuals to develop more mindful eating patterns such as preparation of unfamiliar local winter vegetables, health impacts of pro-
cessed foods, and tips on deciphering sejo Counseling, Country Doctor, Denise food labeling. Louie Education Center, Group Health Family Medicine Residency, Group Health · Free, professional one-on-one financial Neighborhood Health Link, Healtheducation and referrals to help people im- Point, Hearing Specialty Center, Internaprove their financial stability and achieve tional Community Health Services, King their life goals. County 2-1-1, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Molina Healthcare, NAMI, Neighborcare · Information about basic food programs, Health, Neighborhood House, Premera energy assistance and utility discounts, and Blue Cross, Public Health – Seattle & King free/low cost medical benefits in Seattle and County, Real Change News, Saint VinKing County. cent de Paul, Sea Mar Community Health · Assistance with mental health resources, Centers, Seattle City Light, Seattle Office diagnosis, and support in the area. of Housing, Seattle Parks & Recreation, Seattle Public Library, Seattle Public Utili· Health screenings for hearing, cholester- ties, Senior Services, UW Center for Anxol, glucose, weight, and blood pressure. iety and Traumatic Stress, UW Medicine, UW School of Public Health Nutritional · An opportunity to register for Optimiz- Sciences, Urban League of Metropolitan ing PTSD Treats, a clinical trial offering no- Seattle, Valley Cities Counseling, Virginia cost, state-of-the-art psychotherapy to all Mason, and Within Reach. study participants. HealthFest is presented in paralHealthFest Exhibitors and Presenters lel with Seattle/King County Clinic AbbVie, American Red Cross, Ameri- with Remote Area Medical® offering group, Antioch Community Counseling & a broad range of free medical, dental Psychology Clinic, Cancer Lifeline, Com- and vision clinic to anyone in need, munity Health Plan of Washington, Con- October 23-26, at KeyArena. More
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information on HealthFest, as well as the Seattle/King County Clinic, is available at www.seattlecenter.org or by calling 206-684-7200. About HealthFest at Seattle Center HealthFest, Octobert 25-26, offers FREE information and resources for individuals and their families. Participants may connect with local health, human, and social service providers; receive help in navigating health insurance; collect valuable nutritional and fitness ideas; and participate in discussions on health and wellness topics. HealthFest sponsors include: AARP, Amerigroup, Coca-Cola, Community Health Plan of Washington, Group Health, Molina Healthcare, Premera Blue Cross, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Seattle Center, Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs, Seattle Parks & Recreation, Seattle Public Utilities, Virginia Mason, and Washington Healthcare Access Alliance. Courtesy of Seattle Center
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Pope still Catholic: Vatican walks back nice words about Gays elev8.com
Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Only one day after a special meeting of Catholic bishops released a statement urging the church to be more conciliatory to LGBT Catholics, the Vatican walked it back, reminding the faithful that the statement was only a “working document.” In an October 14 statement, the Vatican said that although it wanted to welcome Gays and Lesbians into the church, it did not want to create “the impression of a positive evaluation” of same-sex relationships, or, for that matter, of opposite-sex relationships outside of marriage. “The message has gone out that this is what the synod is saying, this is what the Catholic Church is saying,” said Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, referring to the previous day’s announcement by Cardinal Peter Erdo on behalf of the special synod – or meeting
of bishops – on family relationships. “It’s not what we’re saying at all.” Napier is Archbishop of Durban, South Africa, and a member of the synod, but not its official spokesperson. That office belongs to Cardinal Erdo, who said on October 13 that Gay Catholics have “gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community.” The synod’s statement also praised elements of same-sex partnerships. “Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions, it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners,” the synod said. “Are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing them fraternal space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home,” Erdo asked. “Are our communities capable of provid-
ing that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on family and matrimony?” The synod’s statement also said the Church must grasp the “positive reality of civil weddings” and even cohabitation among straight couples, with the aim of steering the couple towards a church wedding. Cardinals counter-attack The initial report from the synod was immediately attacked by conservative Cardinal Raymond Burke. Burke told the Jesuit-run Catholic World Report (CWR) that the approach laid out in Cardinal Erdo’s report “is certainly not that of the Church,” even though it was presumably backed by Pope Francis. “While the document in question purports to report only the discussion which took place among the Synod Fathers, it, in fact, advances positions which many Synod Fathers do not accept and, I would say, as faithful shepherds of the flock cannot accept,” Burke said in the CWR interview. “The document lacks a solid foundation in the Sacred Scriptures and the Magisterium,” Burke continued. “Magisterium” is Vaticanspeak for Church teaching. Burke, who was demoted by Pope Francis in a recent shake-up of Vatican offices, went out of his way to offend LGBT Catholics in a recent statement arguing that they should be excluded from family gatherings. “If homosexual relations are intrinsically disordered, which indeed they are – reason teaches us that and also our faith – then, what would it mean to grandchildren to have present at a family gathering a family member who is living [in] a disordered relationship with another person?” Burke asked rhetorically. “We wouldn’t, if it were another kind of relationship – something that was profoundly disordered and harmful – we wouldn’t expose our children to that relationship, to the direct experience of it. And neither should we
do it in the context of a family member who not only suffers from same-sex attraction, but who has chosen to live out that attraction, to act upon it, committing acts which are always and everywhere wrong, evil.” Burke was soon joined by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, who told “CBS This Morning” on October 15 that the synod’s statement “needs some major reworking.” “All of this is almost like antipasto to help the Holy Father arrive at a fresh new way to teach the timeless teaching on marriage and family,” Dolan added. “I know there is remarkable unanimity and enthusiasm in backing the Holy Father’s attempt to present the teachings of the church in fresh, exciting and engaging new ways, but there might be some good, deep discussion on the way that is being expressed.” LGBT Catholics cling to hope In spite of the Vatican’s back track, Gay Catholic organizations said they still had hope that the synod’s original announcement reflected a new and positive direction for their church. “I actually don’t think this is as much of a back track as we usually see!” said Marianne Duddy-Burke, head of the LGBT Catholic group Dignity USA. “I think that response to this report was swift and intense, and I’m sure many bishops want to be sure people aren’t reading more into it than is there,” she continued. “However, it is undeniable that there has never been any Vatican document that made positive, respectful statements about same-sex relationships, so that is an undeniable breakthrough.” Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, echoed that sentiment. “Regardless of the fact that this is a working document, it is still significant in that it reveals a strong current of affirmative attitudes at high levels in the church towards lesbians and gay people,” he said.
Irish marriage referendum: polls predict likely landslide
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Ireland has allowed civil partnerships for both same- and opposite-sex couples since 2011. A 2011 Irish census report indicated there were 143,600 cohabiting but unmarried couples, of which 4,042 were same-sex couples. The number of same-sex couples reported in the 2002 census was 1,300. Ireland has a total population of about four and a half million. While more than 84% of the Irish people identify as Roman Catholics, there has been
an increasing trend towards secularization of Irish civil society. Weekly church attendance among Catholics has fallen to only 30% in 2011, from more than 90% in 1973. The parliament of Northern Ireland, an internally self-governing part of the United Kingdom, has repeatedly rejected marriage equality bills. In the North, Sein Féin is also the main supporter of equality, with the Unionist, or pro-British, parties generally opposed. www.irishexaminer.com
New polls suggest that when the Irish vote on new marriage laws next year, equality will win in a landslide. The referendum on a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize same-sex marriage is scheduled for an as-yet-undetermined day in May 2015. Putting the amendment on the ballot came as a result of a long process of consultations that started in 2011. An Irish Times/IPSOS poll released October 13 shows that 67% of the respondents favor marriage equality, with only 20% opposed. Nine percent said they had no opinion one way or the other and 3% refused to respond. “When undecided voters, or those who refused to respond, are excluded from the poll, the Yes figure rises to 77 per cent with 23 per cent on the No side,” the Irish Times reported. An April poll showed more or less the same results, indicating that Irish public opinion has settled on equality. A poll taken on November 2012 showed 64% for equality and 36% against. The latest poll showed that age and party affiliation were the strongest indicators of support for marriage equality. Among Irish voters between 18 and 49, nearly 80% said they will vote to legalize
same-sex marriage. The number drops to 61% among voters 50 to 64. On the other hand, voters over 65 oppose same-sex marriage. Only 38% of that age group say they will vote Yes, while 46% say they will vote No. Supporters of Sinn Féin, a left-wing nationalist party that calls for reunification of British-controlled Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, is solidly pro-equality, as are followers of the socialist Labor Party. Those who identify as “independents” are also overwhelmingly in favor of same-sex marriage. On the other hand, the two old guard Irish parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil “are significantly less enthusiastic” the Irish Times says. After initially resisting the idea, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenney of the Fine Gael party announced his support for samesex marriages in November last year. His deputy prime minister, Eamon Gilmore of the Labor Party, has called marriage equality “the civil rights issue of our generation.” In class terms, there is almost equal support for same-sex marriage across the board. Farmers are reportedly the only group where support for the measure is significantly lower than the average. There is also a marked difference between male and female voters, with women more likely than men to say they will vote Yes.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny
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Brittin Baker
Drag Queen Scarlett Vandiryk, Las Vegas entertainer Michael Cagle, Orgullo producer and SOSea Founding Member Jack Mozie, and Ms. Latina 2014 Latin Rose (Ruth Soto) at the first annual Orgullo Latin@ LGBTQ Pride Festival
Orgullo
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At the event Knittel thanked attendees for showing support for the inaugural event and promised Orgullo will return next year with even more workshops, entertainment and outreach packed into the program. “We are here to make sure that you remain a visible part of the greater LGBTQ community,” he said. Perhaps the most valued part of the 2014 Orgullo Latin@ LGBTQ Pride Festival was the Immigration Law Workshop led by Michael Tisocco. The workshop focused solely on immigration matters that Tisocco, an immigration lawyer, practices before the immigration service and in immigration courts throughout the United States. Tisocco handles a wide range of cases including removal defense, asylum, non-immigrant visas, and deferred action for childhood arrivals, family petitions, naturalizations, U-visas, VAWA claims, and adjustment of status. Michael Tisocco is a firstgeneration American, a native of the Midwest, and is fluent in Spanish. The workshop was well-attended and participants were engaged in dialogue throughout the 1-hour discussion and information workshop which Tisocco facilitated as a sponsor of Orgullo. Additionally, a second workshop, led by Ray Corona, dealt with LGBTQ sexual orientation and gender expression. The workshop was full of attendees and a lively discussion ensued about sexual orientation and gender identity, which included a handout for participants to take with them of the “Genderbread Person.” “Orgullo is dedicated to organizing a free educational and entertainment experience for the LGBTQ Latin community and allied communities of all kinds,” says Jack Mozie, adding, “In order to keep Orgullo free, however, SOSea needs funding.” “You can help,” he said. “Help make this and future events a success by making a donation at www.socialoutreachseattle.com today by clicking on the DONATE tab and following the prompts. Any amount helps.” Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) seeks to empower Seattle’s LGBTQIA communities to proactively address social justice issues that affect us at-large. Working together, the possibilities to heal and strengthen our communities are endless. SOSea uses social media, video production, photo messaging, editorial content, and more to obliterate inequalities that face us on a daily basis. SOSea supports businesses, organizations, clubs, groups, and individuals that are equality-minded; this may include, but is not limited to: LGBTQIA candidates running for public office, advocacy work, youth aid, and more. SOSea’s motto is: “We Are One Community, Working Together.” Brittin Baker
work in a way that is inspiring. “I’m always going to support my son when it comes to his sexual orientation,” said Maria Guzman-Gavidia. “It is painful to see other parents not doing so.” The two make such a great team that they have begun to plan a SOSea sponsored Spanish language support group for the parents and friends and family of LGBTQ Latinos. The program, which will officially launch sometime next year, will work closely with local PFLAG chapters so as to not recreate the wheel, but add to it instead. The mission is something that is near and dear to Maria and Jack as they understand the LGBTQ immigrant struggle having lived it themselves. Jack Mozie, whose birth name is Ramiro Alonso Orellana-Guzman, was born and raised until the age of 12 in Lima, Peru. Maria immigrated the family to Washington. Most of Jack’s youth, whenever he wasn’t learning to play an instrument or writing and singing music, was spent helping to take care of his family – which includes his grandmother and his little sister Nicole Cabrera. Jack took on the roll as man of the house as a teen and despite some financial struggles and working to put himself through college, Jack Mozie found the time to mentor other students in music programs, run his school’s Gay Straight Student Alliance (GSA) and become a founding member of Social Outreach Seattle. Jack became a U.S. citizen in October of 2012 – just a few short weeks before the November 2012 general election to decide whether or not marriage equality would remain the law of the land in Washington state. Needless to say, thanks in no small part to the work that Jack and countless others did to lobby to approve Referendum 74, the state-wide referendum to keep the marriage equality law passed by the state legislature earlier that year, millions of Washingtonians made the right decision and history as we became one of three states in U.S. history to win marriage equality at the ballot box. To say that community service and outreach is a family affair would be an understatement. For Jack and his family, it is a way of life. Nicole, who is now 12-years-old, the same age Jack was when he first immigrated to the United States from Peru, also chipped in to help organize and produce Orgullo. According to Jack Mozie, many organizations also stepped forward to support the event. Those organizations include Equal Rights Washington (www.EqualRightsWashington.org), JAKE Talks (www.JAKE-Talks. com), Gay City (www.GayCity.org), Latino counseling and referral service Consejo (www. ConsejoCounseling.org), Seattle PFLAG (www.Seattle-PFLAG.org), Bellevue PFLAG (www.PFLAGBellevue.org), and more.
Food was provided, free of charge, by Thai Chifa Restaurant (16005 International Blvd., Suite C). Thai Chifa is a Peruvian cuisine-inspired restaurant. Peru is known for having some of the world’s most diverse cuisines. It reflects local practices and ingredients – including influences from the indigenous population including the Inca and cuisines brought in with immigrants from Europe (Spanish, Italian and German), Asia (Chinese and Japanese) and West Africa. Without the familiar ingredients from their home countries, immigrants modified their traditional cuisines by using ingredients available in Peru. For more information about the restaurant, please visit the official website at www.Thai-ChifaRestaurant.com. The entertainment at Orgullo was topnotch. Attendees first got to witness the vocal prowess of Michael Cagle (www.reverbnation.com/michaelgagle). Before moving to Seattle last year, Cagle spent 11 years in Las Vegas where he performed in venues throughout the city. He opened for or appeared with such stars as Reba McEntire, Kenny Loggins, The Drifters, and Sheena Easton to name a few. From there, Latina drag queen Scarlett Vandiryk (www.Facebook.com/Scarlett.Vandiryk) kept the energy going with a wonderful performance which led to a two-song appearance by the 2014 Seattle Out & Proud Pride Idol winner Ruth Soto, more commonly known as Latin Rose (www.LatinRose.bandcamp.com). She is easily one of Seattle’s best live vocalists and arguably one of the only members of the LGBTQ Latin community, aside from Jack Mozie, that has a crossover audience
both in and out of the LGBTQ and Spanish Language communities. Latin Rose went on to win the Ms. Latina 2014 title at the 2014 Entre Hermanos Latino Pageant last Sunday (www.EntreHermanos.org). It is safe to say that Latin Rose is having a banner year, which is well deserved considering the amount of philanthropy this local star has done throughout 2014. SOSea Founder and President Shaun Knittel spoke at the event. Knittel says Orgullo is something he’d challenged Jack Mozie to produce for over a year because he, much like Jack himself, has felt that despite a robust annual LGBTQ Pride celebration, minority communities are often lumped into the mainstream celebration, which has become increasingly corporatized. “While I am glad for our acceptance from the greaterSeattle hetero populace, I can’t help but notice the cultural aspect of Pride being lost to the corporatization of the parade,” he said. “We talk a big game about the diverse population that makes up the LGBTQ community, but then ignore the different demographics by throwing corporate sponsors ahead of actual community organizations that are here for the community year-round. A good example, as it applies to Orgullo, would be that it makes no sense to me to have the LGBTQ advocacy organization Entre Hermanos behind the parade contingent of a corporate bank or insurance sponser.” “In order to remain visible and to come together and celebrate the different demographics of our community, many of the cultures that help make up our rainbow have formed to produce Pride events throughout the year that represent who they are and what identities they choose to share,” said Knittel, referring to Official Pride ASIA, an annual Pride event that takes place at Seattle’s Hing Hay Park in the International District. Knittel is a founding member of Official Pride ASIA (www.PrideAsia.org) and SOSea is the group’s official sponsor. “Official Pride ASIA’s mission statement sums it up best. Founded in 2012, Pride ASIA’s mission is to ‘celebrate, empower and nurture the multi-cultural diversity of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Ally communities through the Asian-Pacific Islander American lens.’” “In other words,” says Knittel, “Cultural diversity matters and whether or not that diversity is on display at Pride ASIA or at Orgullo, it is important that our community continues to offer a safe space and platform to celebrate it within the greater-LGBTQ equality movement, Pride celebrations, and day-to-day life.”
Attendees of the LGBTQ and Gender Workshop at the first annual Orgullo Latin@ LGBTQ Pride Festival
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