Celebrating 42 Years! Issue 43 Volume 44
FRIDAY October 21, 2016 FREE!
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5th Avenue Theatre’s Man of La Mancha
TWIST! Final weekend
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SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
7th District congressChelsea Clinton ional candidates speaks with PGN reveal differences
Chelsea Clinton – Photo courtesy of popsugar.com
by PGN Staff Courtesy of Philadelphia Gay News Chelsea Clinton took a break from addressing female and Millennial voters Oct. 14 in Pittsburgh for a phone call with PGN. She talked about her time in Pennsylvania
– an increasingly important swing state in the race that pits her mother, Democrat Hillary Clinton, against Republican Donald Trump. “We’re continuing to make the case see CHELSEA CLINTON page 17
From left: Brady Walkinshaw and Pramila Jayapal – Photo courtesy of seattletimes.com
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Pramila Jayapal and Brady Walkinshaw, vying to fill the 7th Congressional District seat being vacated by veteran Rep. Jim McDermott’s retirement, revealed clear
differences in their October 13 debate at the Seattle Central Library. While both candidates come from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, they displayed some sharp contrasts in focus. see 7TH DISTRICT page 5
Las Vegas Culinary Union Louisiana court builds wall of taco trucks blocks LGBT around Trump hotel protections
Taco trucks lined up around the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas – Photo courtesy of nbcnews.com
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Las Vegas Culinary Union, longtime nemesis of Donald Trump, built a “wall” of taco trucks outside the Trump In-
ternational Hotel on October 19, as Trump squared off against Hillary Clinton in the third and last of their scheduled debates. The action mocks Trump’s campaign see TACO TRUCKS page 14
(center) Louisiana Governor John Bell Edwards – Photo courtesy of nola.com
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Louisiana state court ruled on October 18 that the state’s Republican attorney general can block state contracts if they
contain language protecting LGBT employees from discrimination. Louisiana’s Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards, issued an executive order resee LOUISIANA page 13
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LGBTQ Allyship raises $31,555 at Just Desserts Thank YOU for making Just Desserts a savory success! We packed the house with 250 guests and raised $31,555 towards supporting LGBTQ equity in South King County! You helped us surpass our fundraising goal by $8,255! THANK YOU! There are too many amazing people to thank, but we want to say a special thank you to our Official Event Sponsor: Seattle’s Children’s Hospital, our Bronze VIP Sponsors: UFCW 21 and Molina Healthcare of Washington, and our VIP Table Sponsors – NW LGBT Senior Providers Network and SEIU 1199NW. Thank you to our table captains! Mary McHale, Sara Jaye Sanford, Genya Shimkin, Sarah Jen, Debbie Carlsen, Collin Jergens, Christopher Friend, Spencer Olson, Sam Benson and Grey Pauley, Emma Moreno, Sally Friedman and Deborah Terry-Hays, and Lois Thetford. Thank you to our elected officials and candidates for public office who showed their support for LGBTQ equity! Pramila Jayapal for Congress (7th District); Senator Bob Hasegawa; Tina Podlodowski for Secretary of State;
The many guests of Allyship’s fundraiser at Just Desserts – Photo courtesy of facebook.com
Nicole Marci for State Representative in the 43rd District. More pictures of the event are on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/LGBTQAllyship/)
Gratefully, Debbie Carlsen Executive Director LGBTQ Allyship
CORRECTION: Due to a misunderstanding the photo image on the front page of last week’s A&E section (SGN, 10/14/16) accompanying the story about Seattle Opera’s upcoming production of the chamber opera As One was incorrectly captioned. The stock model image used in promoting Seattle Opera’s upcoming production is not Taylor Raven and is unidentified. The photo caption of Taylor Raven on the inside continuation page is correct.
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Pride Foundation announces $400,000 in scholarships available for LGBTQ & ally students
The Pride Foundation 2017 scholarship application for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, (LGBTQ) and ally students is officially open!
Please share this opportunity with students of any age from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington. Scholarships are available to students who are pursuing post-secondary studies at community colleges, public or private four-year colleges and universities, vocational and trade schools, or apprenticeships and certificate programs. Since 1990, Pride Foundation has awarded more than $4 million in scholarships to support LGBTQ and ally students. There are more than 50 different types of scholarships with awards up to $20,000 – and only one application to complete! You can help spread the word about these scholarships to students in your school or community by hanging flyers prominently and announcing this on your website, so-
cial media accounts, newsletter, and/or school newspaper. We ask that you promote widely across all these mediums since some LGBTQ students may not be “out” in their school or community and some ally students may not be aware that our scholarships are available to them as well. Download our 8½”x11” color flyer to share with students and help us promote the scholarship application. http://www. pr idefoundation.org/wp - content /up loads/2015/08/Pride-Foundation-8x11.pdf Scholarship applications must be submitted by 4:00pm AKST/5:00 pm PST /6:00pm MST on January 13, 2017 and must be completed online at http://www. pridefoundation.org/scholarships/. To further assist students applying for
these scholarships, we will hold free Scholarship Application Workshops throughout the Northwest and online throughout the fall. See our website for specific times and locations. To request a webinar, please email scholarships@pridefoundation.org. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact Elaine Agoot, Program and Volunteer Coordinator, at elaine@pridefoundation.org or by phone at 206-323-3318. Thank you in advance for supporting tomorrow’s leaders! Courtesy of Pride Foundation
The GSBA Guarantee initiative enhances GSBA Scholarship Fund by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor GSBA announced on October 19, the GSBA Guarantee, the organization’s newest initiative to provide funding to students during four years of undergraduate work. Jason Dittmer, GSBA director of marketing & communications, cited in a October 19 media release to Seattle Gay News that financial barriers, often times due to family estrangement, are one of the major reasons LGBTQ students do not graduate from college. Dittmer says that the GSBA believes that significantly decreasing (or eliminating) this barrier, they opened doors for students to focus on one of the biggest factors related to a student’s ability to persist through to graduation, feeling connected to a community. “Your community is here for you. You are not alone,” said Louise Chernin, GSBA president & CEO. “That is what the GSBA Guarantee is all about. This level of ongoing support and commitment provides hope and affirmation to a group of students who all too often don’t have traditional means of support.” “The GSBA Scholarship Fund will support students until they walk across the stage with degree in hand, up to four years of undergraduate education,” said Travis Mears, GSBA director of development & scholarship programs. “It is no longer about just getting students into college; it’s about getting them through college. Our community is committed to supporting students beyond the dollar.” GSBA Scholarship Fund Chair, Stephanie Dallas, said, “LGBTQ students are far
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Jayapal showed herself to be the most likely to continue in the tradition of Jim McDermott, who was often criticized by conservatives for involving himself in broad national and international issues. “Let’s be clear: United States Congress is a national position,” Jayapal said. “How do you deliver at home while also being able to articulate the values of this country?” Jayapal reinforced her position as a national figure on October 15, when she appeared at a Seattle rally with Bernie Sanders. She is one of a handful of progressive congressional candidates Sanders has endorsed and is campaigning for. “Pramila and I have some news for Don-
GSBA president & CEO Louise Chernin – Photo courtesy of media.bizj.us
less likely to have the quality familial and institutional ties of other students. This means that it is crucial for us as a community to step up and offer not a hand but rather, two hands! On a micro-level we are funding hopeful, vibrant and deserving scholars, and on a macro-level we are funding tomorrow’s leaders and shaping our community’s very own future.” The GSBA Scholarship Fund 2017 scholarship application for LGBTQ and allied students is officially open. Scholarships are available to students who are pursuing post-secondary studies at community colleges, public or private four-
year colleges and universities, vocational, technical, and trade schools. According to Dittmer, as both a business chamber and a scholarship fund, GSBA has access to some of the brightest minds in the region and the ability to harness the power within the community to support student success while promoting diversity and equality. “Shepherding scholars through their undergraduate education by providing persistent financial support puts GSBA at the forefront of the college success movement,” GSBA officials said. During its 26-year history, the GSBA Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $2.7 million in scholarships to over 600
LGBTQ and allied students. GSBA scholars represent a diverse group of students who have dreams of making our community and the world a better place, and each of them possesses the skills, talents, and dedication to make those dreams a reality, say officials. GSBA realizes that today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and is committed to supporting our community’s future leaders by providing financial resources, role-modeling and hope to outstanding LGBTQ and allied students, many who have no traditional means of support. For more information, visit www. theGSBAscholarship.org.
ald Trump and his billionaire friends – you are going to start paying your fair share of taxes!” Sanders told an enthusiastic crowd at the Showbox theater. “We need dozens of Pramilas in the United States Congress, because when you speak up and fight for justice, what seemed impossible suddenly becomes mainstream when you have the courage to fight for those ideals.” In contrast, Walkinshaw emphasized his hometown-boy credentials. “I’m running because of our extraordinary home,” he said in the debate. “We need members of Congress who are rooted in their communities.” When moderators asked the candidates to question each other on one specific issue, Walkinshaw challenged Jayapal on her campaign contributions from outside the
district. Some 70% of her donations come from outside the 7th District, he said, and her home is outside the district. Jayapal asked Walkinshaw how he could reconcile his environmentalist positions with his work with the Gates Foundation, which has been criticized for not divesting in fossil fuels. The two candidates also clashed on I-732, the state carbon tax initiative. Walkinshaw supports the measure, but Jayapal said it would burden families with increased gas prices, pull funds away from education and health care, and reduce state revenues. Environmental groups are split on the initiative, with the prestigious Sierra Club refusing to back it. Labor unions, which have lined up behind Jayapal, are also opposed to it because they want more money
to help workers in fossil fuel industries transition to new jobs. Walkinshaw promised that if elected he would try to lead on climate change, homelessness, and mental health. He said he would promote a comprehensive federal homelessness package for cities. Jayapal said her top priorities would be immigration, women’s issues, and increasing the federal minimum wage. She said she would work on passing comprehensive immigration reform. When asked which of his endorsements he was most proud of, Walkinshaw named primary rival Joe McDermott. In a subtle reminder that she far outdistanced both Walkinshaw and McDermott in primary votes, Jayapal replied “my 79,000 primary voters…”
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Gender Justice League seeks award nominations by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Gender Justice League (GJL), the Seattle-based Transgender organization that produces the annual Trans Pride event and advocates for Transgender equality statewide, announced they will be accepting nominations for 2016 Gender Justice Awards. According to GJL officials, the 2016 Gender Justice Awards dinner will showcase the activism of Trans, Gender Queer, Gender Non-Conforming, Non-Binary, and Allied activists, artists, reporters, and community members who have made incredible strides for Trans, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people in the Pacific Northwest. The Gender Justice Awards are a community nominated awards program. “Decisions about who receives awards are decided by past recipients, GJL’s staff and board of directors who comprise the awards committee,” reads a statement accompanying the online nomination form for a GJL award. “The Gender Justice Awards are an opportunity for us to come together to celebrate the dedication, talent, and brilliance of our communities.” The GJL awards committee looks to elevate people of color, youth and elders, those with disabilities visible and invisible, immigrants and refugees, low-income/ working class activists, and feminine spectrum people, women, and girls. “We especially would like to see additional nominations of people from these groups,” say officials. GJL encourages anyone who is considering nominating their friend, colleague,
Executive Director of Gender Justice League, Danni Askini – Photo courtesy of Danielle Askini
or acquaintance to stretch to elevate people who have made a contribution that might otherwise go unnoticed by the community. “We are looking for individuals with a strong commitment to community, organizing, or representation of trans and gender non-conforming people,” GJL officials said. Nominations are due November 1. To
nominate someone or an organization or group for an award go to: https://goo.gl/ forms/igkKiSG8xorZKoYT2. According GJL, recipients will receive an award trophy, and the emerging activist will be awarded a $500.00 stipend to support future work. Awards are given out at the 2016 Gender Justice Awards dinner,
November 17, at Melrose Market Studios (1532 Minor Ave.). This year’s Gender Justice Awards will be hosted by Aleksa Manila with special music guest Rae Spoon. Tickets are $60.00 for regular tickets, $100.00 for VIP and 10% sliding scale tickets. Go to www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2610985 for tickets. Gender Justice League asks attendees to come prepared to make an additional donation if possible. “Tickets are priced to be as accessible as possible for our community and are intended to simply cover the cost of producing the event,” GJL officials say in a statement on ethical fundraising. “We recognize not everyone who attends can give, at our ticket prices we expect to only ‘break even’ for the event – we work to ensure that catering staff and performers are equitably paid. Additional gifts will go directly to support Gender Justice League’s efforts including Trans Pride Seattle 2017, The Washington SAFE Alliance & Efforts to defeat anti-trans attacks, and our efforts to provide public education & training throughout the state.” 10% of seats (15 tickets) are reserved for sliding scale attendance and additional tickets will be made available if they are sponsored. Please email Gender Justice League Executive Director Danni Askini at danni@genderjusticeleague.org if you are in need of a sliding scale ticket. Melrose Market is wheelchair accessible and the dinner will be ASL interpreted. Additionally, the Gender Justice Awards dinner will be a scent and smoke-free event; GJL asks attendees to please refrain from using chemical fragrances or products.
U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle crowns first black queen by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor If you’ve never been to a United Territories of Pacific Islanders’ Alliance (U.T.O.P.I.A.) Seattle pageant you are missing out. The crowd is known to exceed 300400 people, the queens are some of the best in town (with some contestants flying in from out of state to compete as well), and the feeling of “community” is unmistakable. The annual Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle pageant is always entertaining and the winner, crowned in front of an adoring audience of supporters, seems truly moved by the experience of a lifetime. In fact, some of Seattle’s drag and Transgender elite are former Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle title holders; Tanya Rachinee, Atasha Manila, and Marion Malena to name a few. Having been asked twice, of which I humbly accepted the invitation twice, to judge the pageant and over the years being fortunate enough to work with several Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle winners I can tell you that something magical seems to happen at each event. And this year, the 7th Annual Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle Pageant, held on October 15, was no exception as the nonprofit organization that aims to create a safe space for Pacific Islander LGBTQI communities in advocating for social justice, education and overall wellness, crowned a black queen – living up to its promise to “promote community, diversity, and acceptance.” U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle has allowed all contestants, regardless of ethnicity or race, to compete for many years. While it is true that most pageants are all inclusive in terms of race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, it is important to note that contestants are judged fairly and do not lose points or audience support for representing a different ethnicity onstage than that of the hosting organization. The pageant, held at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, featured contestants competing in extravagant Swim
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Iyona Bonet Black, winner of Miss UTOPIA 2016-2017 – Photo courtesy of Eric Clark (Iyona Bonet Black)
October 21, 2016
Wear, exciting Talents, glamorous Evening Gowns, and Island Goddess Couture wear; and included show-stopping performances from former Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle titleholders plus many more. But in the end the crown went to Iyona Bonét Black, Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle 2016-2017. “I would like to thank everyone for all of the love and support and welcoming me into the U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle family,” Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle Iyona Bonet Black said in a post on Facebook following the crowning. “Just know this queen is blessed beyond measure and grateful to be QUEEN!!!” Marion Malena, who really took the Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. title to soaring popularity with amazing costumes, classic character and memorable performances to say the least said, “We truly share a sisterhood like no other...On stage after crowning Miss Iyona Bonet Black I remember I turned to her and said “Do you know you are the first black Miss U.T.O.P.I.A? With a huge smile she said “no I did not, OMG!” before taking in her special moment.” “Miss U.T.O.P.I.A is the only pageant operated by Pacific Islanders in the continental USA,” Marion Malena continued, “I admire that our system embraces all races. We are minorities and if our pageant is just a small vessel for people to learn about our islands, culture and Alofa then it is a privilege and we ought to be proud. Welcome to our sisterhood, Miss Iyona!” Although Iyona Bonet Black might be the “first” for U.T.O.P.I.A., being crowned is not a first for her. Currently Black is Miss Supreme Star Int’l Newcomer 2015-2016; but she will be stepping down November 6 to give full attention to her duties as the reigning Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle Gay News congratulates Miss U.T.O.P.I.A. 2016-2017 Iyona Bonet Black on her successful bid for the crown and looks forward to seeing all that you will bring to the title.
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Worried about voter fraud? Don’t be, state official says by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer At the October 19 presidential debate, Donald Trump once again repeated charges that the electoral system “is rigged,” and he suggested he would not accept the results of the November 8 vote. Polling shows that Trump’s supporters believe his allegations. Forty-one percent of voters – about the same number that supports the Republican nominee – apparently worry that Democrats will steal the election. According to Washington state election officials, however, those charges are bogus. Dave Ammons, spokesperson for the Washington Secretary of State’s office – the agency charged with registering voters and counting ballots, among other things – says the system has so many built-in protections that fraud on a scale large enough to steal the election is almost impossible. “For all the hype – from the media, from Trump – I can’t imagine there could be very much [fraud],” Ammons told SGN in a phone interview. “We want zero fraud, of course, but if there is any at all it must be a very, very minuscule amount.” The safeguards start with voter registration, Ammons explained.
Dave Ammons, spokesperson for Washington Secretary of State’s – Photo courtesy of washington.edu
“We send a ballot to all registered voters, and they’ve already gone through the vetting process,” he said. “We’ve already established their residence through the DMV [when they get their driver’s license or state ID, and can also register to vote].
“We can’t know their citizenship status because the DMV doesn’t ask that question, but when you register you have to attest that the information you’re giving is true. If they lie, then an undocumented person could be deported, or if they have a ‘green card’ [showing legal residence], they risk losing the opportunity to become a citizen. “That’s why undocumented people rarely, if ever, want to sign official documents,” he added. Since Washington uses mail-in rather than in-person voting, could ballots end up in the wrong hands when people move without notifying the state of their new address? No, Ammons replied, even that situation is accounted for. “We use a system called ERIC,” he explained. “It’s a multi-state database, and you can tell when people move.” If the Secretary of State gets more than one ballot from the same voter, “the first ballot received is the one that counts,” Ammons says. “For sure we know if people send multiple ballots.” Even after his office has the ballots in hand, there are additional safeguards to ensure a true count of voters’ wishes, Ammons continued. “For every single ballot, the signature is compared to the one we have on file,” he explained. “It’s very labor intensive. If
7th Circuit grants en banc review to Title VII case by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals will review a prior decision denying the claims of a Lesbian law professor who says Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects her against discrimination on account of her sexual orientation. A three-judge panel of the appeals court turned down the claim of Kimberley Hively against her employer, Ivy Tech Community College, in August. Kimberly Hively charged Ivy Tech with workplace discrimination dating back to 2014 and said she had been denied a promotion six times because she is a Lesbian. Hively was represented in her suit by Lambda Legal. Last year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC) said that Title VII’s protections against sex discrimination in the workplace also covered Les-
Greg Nevins of Lambda Legal – Photo courtesy of lambdalegal.org
bian, Gay, and Bi employees, because discrimination against sexual orientation was a form of sex bias. The 7th Circuit panel, however, dismissed Hively’s suit in a 42-page ruling, saying that the federal civil rights law protects against discrimination on account of sex, but not on account of sexual orientation. Hively’s attorneys at Lambda Legal said they were “surprised” by the ruling, and they subsequently submitted a request for an en banc review of the case, in other words a decision by the entire Circuit Court. Although it is fairly rare for an appeals court to vacate the ruling of its panel, the 7th Circuit has now decided on an en banc review, which is scheduled for November 30. The decision was welcomed by Hively’s legal team. “For too long, LGBT employees have been forced to conceal their true identity at work out of fear of backlash and discrimi-
there’s any question [about the veracity of the signature] we try to contact the voter, because signatures can change over time. As you age, your signature might become a little wobbly. Or the voter could have had a stroke. So we contact them to verify.” Election officials can even tell if registered voters have died, Ammons says. “You can refer to the Social Security death index,” Ammons explained, “and many auditors are very diligent about checking newspaper obituaries to see who’s died.” Election officials will have a record number of votes to count in this election, and they are urging voters not to wait until the November 8 deadline to send in their ballots. According to the Secretary of State’s office, the number of registered voters in Washington now stands at 4,207,379, after a record-setting flood of new registrations. More than 100,000 new voters have been added in King County alone. In addition to a president, Washington voters have the opportunity to select nine statewide officials – from governor on down – a senator, 10 congressmembers, judges, and state legislators, plus they can vote on a number of ballot measures.
nation,” said Greg Nevins, counsel and employment fairness strategist for Lambda Legal, in a statement. “It’s a modern day ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in the workplace. Not only is it wrong, it’s illegal – and we need the court to make it clear.” Ivy Tech College has consistently denied the allegations of bias. College spokesperson Jeffery Fanter told Bloomberg News that the institute “does not condone, and in fact explicitly prohibits, employment discrimination based upon a person’s sexual orientation.” The decision by the 7th Circuit to review the case increases the likelihood that the US Supreme Court may ultimately rule whether Title VII covers sexual orientation.
Buy union-made candy this Halloween by Pride At Work Special to SGN Halloween might be scary, but what’s really terrifying is the thought of a country without unions. No 40-hour workweek. No weekends. No vacations. No family leave. No paid sick days. No minimum wage. No health and safety rules. And – especially frightening for people of color, women, and LGBT folks – no nondiscrimination rules. This Halloween, give a treat to the union workers who stand up for all our rights. Buy union-made candy. Many of your favorite brands are included in this list:
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October 21, 2016
1. Baby Ruth 2. Butterfinger 3. Candy House Buttons 4. Caramello 5. Clark Bar 6. 5th Avenue chocolate bar 7. Ghirardelli Chocolates 8. Halloween Candy Corn (Herman Golitz Company) 9. Hershey’s Candy Corn Kisses 10. Hershey’s Extra Dark Chocolate bar 11. Hershey’s Hugs 12. Hershey’s Kisses and Kissables 13. Hershey’s Nuggets 14. Hot Tamales
15. Jelly Belly 16. Kit Kat bars 17. Laffy Taffy 18. Malted Milk Balls 19. Mary Jane 20. Mike and Ike 21. Peanut Chews 22. Rolo 23. Smarties 24. Super Ropes 25. Tootsie Roll 26. Trolli Pride At Work is an LGBT labor organization affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
Celebrating 41 Years!
Equality for All
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Erin Jones is an award-winning teacher, former statewide Assistant Superintendent for Student Achievement, and current school district leader who will help EVERY child succeed.
Learn more at ErinJones2016.org Paid for by Friends of Erin Jones PO Box 23125 | Seattle, WA 98102 Phone: (360) 433-8922 | Twitter: @erinjones2016
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LOUISIANA
continued from cover quiring businesses that contract with the state to extend fair employment practices to their LGBT employees, but Attorney General Jeff Landry blocked enforcement of the contracts. Edwards then sued Landry, arguing that similar language had been enforced under previous Democratic governors, Edwin Edwards and Kathleen Blanco. Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal canceled their executive orders, but Edwards reinstated them after he assumed office in January. However, State District Court Judge Donald Johnson ruled that Edwards does not have the right to sue Landry. The law is unclear on whether Landry or Edwards has the final word over legal contracts, the judge said, which undercut the governor’s suit. “I believe that the law is uncertain – and it does not provide the court with a clear path,” Johnson said from the bench, adding, “The court denies the request of our governor.” Landry has blocked some 50 state contracts with private law firms because they include language that prevents the attorneys from discriminating against LGBT people in their offices, although Landry says he has other concerns with the contracts as well. The anti-discrimination language was only included in the legal contracts be-
Attorney General Jeff Landry – Photo courtesy of businessinsider.com
cause Edwards has required all state agencies and contractors to prohibit harassment and firing based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” The governor issued an executive order in April mandating that LGBT people be
extended the same workplace protections that racial, ethnic, and religious minorities enjoy under state law. Louisiana law also protects women and people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace. The governor’s office said he plans either
to appeal the judge’s ruling or rework the language in the original lawsuit to answer Judge Johnson’s concerns. Meanwhile, the governor says, his executive order stands except for the contracts blocked so far.
LGBT HISTORY MONTH
The Wizard of Oz in the LGBT community by Ryan Bunch PGN Contributing Writer Courtesy of Philadelphia Gay News Nobody seems to know quite how or why The Wizard of Oz became such an enduring part of LGBT community and culture. It is, of course, common knowledge that Judy Garland is a gay icon – beloved and worshiped by gay men of a certain age and class – but what else explains the ubiquitous references to “Oz” in drag performances and in the names of bars and businesses catering to the community? Movie quotes appear on an array of LGBT-themed merchandise, from postcards of Dorothy enticing us to visit San Francisco to Glinda Tshirts impelling us to “Come out, come out, wherever you are.” It would be a mistake to confine a discussion of The Wizard of Oz to a certain class of gay men, but in seeking a point of origin, there is a dominant narrative of queer history in which “Oz” and Garland were important parts of a mostly white, middle-class, urban gay male subculture by the 1950s. Garland spent much of the decade on popular concert tours, and it was also during this time that The Wizard of Oz began to be shown on television on an annual basis. The origin of the expression “Friend of Dorothy,” which became a code phrase used by gay men to identify themselves to each other, is lost to history – it may have predated this era, and may not even refer to Garland’s role in the movie, but the belief that it does is widespread (another possibility is that it refers to Dorothy Parker, who was also a friend to gays). According to “Oz” scholar Dee Michel, who is writing a book on “Oz” and gay men, there are certain beliefs about the film and the LGBT community that persist in spite of a lack of clear historical evidence. “These beliefs,” he said, “overlap and reinforce each other and have become part of gay folklore, increasing our sense of his-
Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz – Photo courtesy of judygarlandnews.com
tory and reinforcing gay identity.” Much of what we do know about “Oz” and its significance in LGBT culture in the 1950s and ’60s is from later accounts. Some disparaging remarks about gay men attending Garland concerts were printed in reviews in the late 1960s. Other print references to “Oz” as an underground culture shared by gay men seem to show up in the 1970s and ’80s, looking back and attempting to explain the appeal of the film. These explanations often take the form of an identification of gay men and others with a girl from a small community who is misunderstood by her family, who is whisked away to a place where she becomes friends with characters who seem like they could be gay men (especially the Cowardly Lion, who refers to himself as a “sissy” and “dandy lion”). The story became a metaphor for the real-life dreams and experiences of gay men who left middle America for the gay
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communities of New York City and San Francisco, which were analogized to Oz or the Emerald City. There is, of course, also the unique place occupied by Garland among gay icons. While many divas are admired for their strength, with Garland this strength is mixed with her obvious vulnerability. Garland’s struggles seemed to mirror those of gay men at the time, and she was admired for rising above her problems in performance, although as she noted herself, she was never able to get over the rainbow in her life off the stage or screen. Both Garland’s image as a diva and the movie’s camp style, which provided an ironic way of looking at the dominant culture, are thought to contribute to the queer appeal of “Oz.” Whatever its origins, as the late 1960s ushered in the era of LGBT liberation, this mythology came out of the shadows and became a contested part of the narrative of queer history. For some, it has never been a coincidence that the Stonewall Riots erupted the night after Garland’s funeral on June 27, 1969. The suggestion that her death contributed to the tension that led to the rebellion has spread widely but also been much called into question. There is some doubt as to whether the participants in the riots – drag queens, hustlers and underage patrons among those who frequented the bar – would have been Garland fans at all. Nevertheless, gay folklore and film continue to tell the story, quite possibly imposing the perspective of white, cisgender gay male historians on an event that was largely the work of queer and trans people of color. At the same time, the symbolism of Garland’s death at the beginning of the modern LGBT-rights movement does have some potency. Her passing represented the passing also of the era of secrecy and assimilation to the beginning of liberation. Camp and diva worship, which had been secret codes of the closet, became public symbols of pride and identity. Ten years later, at the 1979 March on Washington, according to Michael Bronski, lesbian singer Holly Near
ended her set with “Over the Rainbow,” calling it the gay national anthem. Today there is a lingering sense that the Garland/“Oz” obsession is a generational one, even an embarrassing stereotype. Contemporary examples, however, suggest that “Oz” continues to be embraced by wide constituencies in the community. Rufus Wainwright has spent much of the last several years recreating Garland’s legendary Carnegie Hall performance, Patti LaBelle continues to sing her own empowering version of “Over the Rainbow” at LGBT events, and Toddrick Hall’s “Straight Outta Oz” explores his experiences as a young, queer man of color through identification with various characters and situations from the story. “The Wiz,” a Broadway musical produced by a black gay man and adapted as a film starring Diana Ross, occupies an important place in both black and gay culture, as evidenced by the community-watch parties and Twitter responses to the recent live broadcast on NBC. Artist-activist Gilbert Baker, a native of Kansas who made his own way to San Francisco, has denied having “Over the Rainbow” in mind when he designed the rainbow flag in 1978, but the association sticks for many people. LGBT choruses sing “Over the Rainbow” at community and political events where rainbow flags are flying. After the suicide deaths of several young people in the fall of 2010, including Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, crowds gathered for a vigil in New York’s Washington Square Park, waving rainbow-colored glow sticks while openly gay Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson led them in singing “Over the Rainbow.” In moments such as this, a song and symbol that arose as the coded dreams of a marginalized group half a century ago have become symbols of visibility and community, tracking the emergence of LGBT people from the shadows to the public square in an ongoing and widening appeal for acceptance and compassion.
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John McCain: OK, I lied. I don’t think the next president should fill the SCOTUS vacancy
Sen. John McCain – Photo courtesy of politicalgarbagechute.com
filled a high court vacancy in an election year. “This issue is not about any single nominee – it’s about the integrity of the Court,” McCain said in March. “With less than a year left in a lameduck presidency and the long-term ideological balance of the Supreme Court at stake, I believe the American people must have a voice in the direction of the Supreme Court by electing a new president. The last time the American people spoke, they elected a Republican majority to the Senate to act as a ‘check and balance’ on President Obama’s liberal agenda – a responsibility I cannot ignore. We must allow the people to play a role in selecting the next lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.” Now that the people seem poised to elect Hillary Clinton, McCain has changed his tune. With Clinton almost certain to win, apparently only a Republican president should be able to fill the vacancy, not a Democratic one. McCain’s office walked his remarks back hours later, saying he would vote for individual nominees based on their record and experience. “Sen. McCain believes you can only
judge people by their record, and Hillary Clinton has a clear record of supporting liberal judicial nominees,” his communications director, Rachael Dean, told Talking Points Memo in a statement. “That being said, Sen. McCain will, of course, thoroughly examine the record of any Supreme Court nominee put before the Senate and vote for or against that individual based on their qualifications as he has done throughout his career.” Not all Senate Republicans agree with McCain’s obstructionism, however. Some have suggested it might be better to confirm Garland in a lame-duck session if Clinton wins the election, to preempt her from appointing a more progressive justice. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) told the Daily Beast in early October that “nobody really believes” that the next president should fill the vacancy “because if this were the last year of a Republican presidency, nobody would say that.” Clinton has promised to appoint judges who will uphold Roe v. Wade and the Obergefell marriage equality decision, while Trump says he will appoint judges who will reverse them.
The Culinary Union has held 10 rallies outside Trump’s hotel since workers voted to unionize last December. They charge that Trump is refusing to bargain with them, in violation of federal labor laws. The union was joined by American Bridge, Latino Victory Project, PLAN Action, iAmerica Action, Center for Community Change Action, For Our Future, and 50 immigrant advocacy activists from Los Angeles. Democrat Ruben Kihuen, who is running to represent Las Vegas’s 4th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives, also attended the protest. “We’re protesting Donald Trump’s hotel here in Vegas, where a majority of workers
voted to unionize, and shamefully Trump has failed to sit down at the table with them,” Kihuen told BuzzFeed News. “As he has demonized Hispanics, women, veterans, and the disabled, we will send him and those who supported him, like my opponent, Congressman Cresent Hardy, a message that we’re here and we vote.” “Everyone coming together is really about sending a message that we reject Trump and the politics of hate,” said iAmerica president Rocio Saenz. Latino and Asian–Pacific Islander voters will turn out in large numbers to repudiate Trump in November, she added. The Culinary Union was largely respon-
sible for Hillary Clinton’s victory in the February Democratic caucuses in Nevada, a victory that blunted Bernie Sanders’ momentum and arguably gave Clinton’s campaign a new lease on life. Reportedly at the request of Senate Democratic leader and union ally Harry Reid, the union mobilized its members to attend the caucuses for Clinton. Currently Clinton enjoys a 5.5-point lead in the state, according to the Real Clear Politics poll of polls. The 60,000-member Culinary Union is affiliated with UNITE HERE, the hospitality and food service union, and is the biggest union in Nevada.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer John McCain tacitly confessed to a lie in an October 17 radio interview, admitting that Senate Republicans intend to block any US Supreme Court appointments by Hillary Clinton. McCain had previously insisted that the next president be allowed to select a successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia rather than confirming President Obama’s appointment of Merrick Garland. However, the senator told WPHT Radio that he and his fellow Republicans would prevent Clinton from filling the vacancy even if she is – as expected – elected. “I promise you that we will be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton, if she were president, would put up,” McCain said. “I promise you. This is where we need the [Senate] majority.” Scalia died on February 12, and Obama appointed Garland to fill the vacancy on March 16. McCain, along with other Senate Republicans, claimed that the integrity of the Supreme Court would be compromised if a lame-duck president – as Obama is –
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theme of building an immigrant-proof wall along the country’s border with Mexico, as well as Trump surrogate Marco Gutierrez, who warned that there will be “taco trucks on every corner” if the wall isn’t built. “We’re reminding Mr. Trump that immigrant workers here and across the country will be watching the debate and voting in November,” said Yvanna Cancela, the political director for the predominantly Latino and immigrant union.
AFL-CIO constituency groups stand with Native Americans to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline by Pride at Work Special to SGN Washington, DC – Together, the Labor Coalition for Community Action, which includes the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, and Pride at Work, rises in solidarity with Native Americans and our allies in protesting against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and defending Native lands from exploitation by corporations and the US government. We advocate for a progressive labor movement rooted in dignity and respect for all peoples, including Native Americans and their families. Though cited to bring 4,500 jobs, the Dakota Access Pipeline seriously threatens tribal sovereignty, sacred burial grounds, and the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux and potentially 17 million others. As organizations dedicated to elevating the struggles of our respective constituencies, we stand together to support our Native American kinfolk – one of the most marginalized and disenfranchised groups in our nation’s history – in their fight to protect their communities from further dis-
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Tribal flags from all over the nation stand together in unity against the Dakota Pipeline – Photo courtesy of indianz.com
placement and exploitation. We recognize this systematic oppression that so intimately resonates with many communities of col-
October 21, 2016
or and marginalized populations, whether it be fighting for lead-free water in Flint or uncontaminated water in North Dakota.
We remain committed to fighting the corporate interests that back this project and name this pipeline “a pipeline of corporate greed.” We challenge the labor movement to strategize on how to better engage and include Native people and other marginalized populations into the labor movement as a whole. Lastly, we applaud the many labor unions working to create a new economy with good green jobs and more sustainable employment opportunities for all. We also encourage key stakeholders – labor unions, including the building trades, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, and others who would be impacted – to come together to discuss a collective resolution. As we just recently recognized Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day and as we approach November – a time that marks not only a significant change in our country’s leadership but also the celebration of Native American Heritage Month – we will continue to campaign and organize for a broader agenda that secures the rights for all working people in all communities. Pride at Work is an LGBT labor organization affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
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Clinton worried about LGBT backlash, emails show by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Emails released by WikiLeaks show that Hillary Clinton’s campaign team knew she’d made a mistake praising Nancy Reagan for starting what she called “a national conversation” about AIDS, and they were worried her gaffe would result in a backlash against her among LGBT voters. Clinton made the remark after Reagan died in March. The Reagans were notorious for ignoring the AIDS crisis as it developed during Ronald Reagan’s two terms in office, and LGBT activists criticized Clinton for rewriting the historical record. “While I respect her advocacy on issues like stem cell and Parkinson’s research, Nancy Reagan was, sadly, no hero in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” Human Rights Campaign (HRC) CEO Chad Griffin tweeted immediately after Clinton’s statement. HRC had already endorsed Clinton, and Griffin’s remarks were relatively mild. Not all responses from LGBT activists were as friendly. “It’s almost tempting to interpret this as withering, devastating sarcasm,” Gawker wrote. “The Reagans ‘started a national conversation about AIDS’ in the same sense that George W. Bush ‘started a national conversation about Iraq.’” “Marie Antoinette did some incredible LOW KEY ADVOCACY for the French underclass,” Dan Fishback, a writer and performer, wrote on Twitter. Both Clinton and her Democratic pri-
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about what’s really at stake in this election,” Clinton said. “I firmly believe if we keep talking about what’s at stake that we will win on Nov. 8.” Below is a transcript of her conversation with PGN [published October 17, 2016]. It has been lightly edited. PGN: LGBT issues took center stage at the Democratic National Convention with nearly every speaker mentioning them, including you saying LGBT rights are human rights. But in the debates so far, LGBT rights haven’t received attention. Do you think the last debate will address them more directly? CC: I’m grateful that my mom talked about marriage equality in terms of what’s at stake for the next Supreme Court appointment. I certainly hope that the Senate will do its job and give Judge [Merrick] Garland a full and fair hearing so that we can have a fully seated court. But, certainly, thinking about what the next president will likely have before her, it will be the chance and the responsibility to nominate three, maybe even four, new justices to the bench. I have been surprised that LGBT rights and human rights more broadly – I mean, reproductive rights, voting rights, so many of our rights that have been under assault at the state level and local level – haven’t featured more broadly in the debates. I was quite surprised that even in the vice-presidential debate, given Gov. Pence’s regressive record in Indiana, that LGBT rights and civil and human rights did not come up. I am grateful – as an American who strongly believes that LGBT rights are human rights and therefore all of us have a stake in achieving full equality under the law – that my mom talked about the need to protect marriage equality in the last debate; in the context of the potential nominees that Donald Trump has floated as almost uniformly being against marriage equality. But I cer-
Hillary’s apology tweet – Photo courtesy of joemygod.com
mary rival Bernie Sanders were vying for LGBT votes, and the gaffe might have hurt Clinton if she had failed to respond to community outrage. Clinton immediately tweeted an apology after her initial remarks were published, but her aides feared that would not be enough to satisfy the LGBT community. “While the Reagans were strong advocates for stem cell research and finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, I misspoke about their record on HIV and AIDS,” Clinton said
in her initial tweet. “For that, I’m sorry.” Clinton aides worried that a mere “misspoke” was insufficient to convey the magnitude of Clinton’s error. “I don’t want this to fester,” wrote Clinton’s campaign’s LGBT outreach director, Dominic Lowell. Her campaign team began drafting a statement but fumbled over the correct wording. An initial draft of it began by saying “I made a mistake.” The line was then changed to a defen-
sive “I said something inaccurate,” but an even later version had Clinton say “I made a mistake, plain and simple.” The emails relating to this incident were among thousands hacked from the accounts of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. US intelligence officials have blamed the Russian government for a series of breaches intended to influence the presidential election. The Russians deny involvement.
tainly agree that we need to pay more attention to LGBT rights. I certainly hope that we get there in the next debate, but whether or not we actually do remains to be seen. PGN: In your travels through Pennsylvania, what has your engagement been like with LGBT residents and organizations? CC: The event I did this morning here in Pittsburgh was focused on women’s issues. But I got a question from a young woman who stood up and said, “I need to ask a question on behalf of my gay younger brother. What is your mom going to do to ensure that he can be and love whoever he wants to be and love in our country?” And a woman came up to me afterwards – she was a bisexual woman – and she said, “I just want to thank you for your personal and your family’s support of me.” Even in public events, thankfully, people are standing up and drawing attention and sharing stories and testimonials about what’s at stake in this election for themselves, for their families and for their country. I do think this is the most consequential election of my lifetime. I think everything I care most about, which I now very much see through the prism of being a parent, is at risk and is at stake. That includes LGBT rights. My son is 3 and a half [months]. My daughter’s 2. I have no idea who they’re going to grow up and discover themselves to be. But I want them to own whoever they are and know that they will be equally valued, and hopefully by the time they’re a little bit older, equally loved and respected in our country. I feel very strongly about this as a mom. PGN: If your mom and Tim Kaine are elected, what is their plan to begin tackling the many LGBT points that are written into the latest Democratic Party Platform? CC: I think the contrast could not be clearer between the Democratic and the Republican Party Platforms. It’s something that I spoke about in Philadelphia at the HRC luncheon [in July] with how horrified I was and I remain about the Republican Party Platform’s embrace of conversion therapy, which I think is just child abuse
by another name. I know that my mother strongly agrees with that. We have to make conversion therapy illegal. We have to finally pass the Equality Act. We have to continue the march toward an AIDS-free generation, particularly given the deeply worrying demographic trend of rising HIV rates among certain demographics across our country, including young LGBT men of color … We have a lot of work that we have to do. If we listen to our scientific community – and I’m a big believer in listening to our scientific community – we have to be investing more in research because the scientists are saying we’re reaching inflection points on an AIDS vaccine. We’re reaching inflection points on really understanding how to ensure that PrEP can be most effective. We have to make those investments. Then we have to make sure that people can afford the medicine that is needed to protect against getting HIV or ensure that HIV can be a chronic disease and not a death sentence. We have a lot of work to do. I know my mom’s the only person who understands the work that we have to do. PGN: Does your mom foresee any difficulty in terms of working with Congress to get some of these goals accomplished given how vitriolic this election cycle has become? CC: I think what someone has done is a good indication of what they will be able to do. It always, I think, is a little surprising when I talk about my mom’s strong record of being able to find common ground when it does exist, and sometimes to help create it, even from just a small speck of hope; [like] when she worked with Tom DeLay [former Republican whip] to reform the adoption and foster-care system and Lindsey Graham [Republican senator from South Carolina] to expand the VA system to include our reservists and National Guard members who serve our country overseas. I think that my mom’s ability to find that common ground will enable her to make progress in some of the areas where, certainly, there was already progress being made ... looking at criminal-justice reform,
immigration reform. But hopefully, in areas like research funding, which conventionally hasn’t been particularly partisan, we can make real progress there. We can’t ever cede ground on issues that really relate to our core values as a country. I would argue that full LGBT equality has to be in that core. I’m hopeful that she will be able to make progress in some areas quickly, and I am hopeful that … as our next president, she’ll be able to continue to make a strong case on behalf of our real American and real family values and make progress toward full LGBT equality as well. PGN: Your mother has actively courted the LGBT community throughout her campaign. Why did she want to write the op-ed for PGN outlining her positions? [NOTE: Hillary Clinton’s op-ed was re-printed in the Seattle Gay News, October 7, 2016 – http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews44_41/page1. cfm.] CC: She was grateful to have the chance to write the op-ed … I think she was the first major-party presidential candidate to ever write an op-ed for an LGBT newspaper. I know she believes it’s really important that she’s not the only [one] as the future marches forward. She was grateful to have had the chance. It never occurred to her to not write it when she was given the opportunity.
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PGN: How important is the Philadelphia area in the upcoming election? Analysts have referred to the suburbs in the region as a bellwether. CC: Pennsylvania, clearly, writ large is hugely important … I also was raised – this now might seem an old-fashioned belief – that every vote really matters, which is why we’ve had such a focus in my mom’s campaign over the last few months of registering people to vote up until the voter registration deadline ... We’re continuing to make the case about what’s really at stake in this election. I firmly believe if we keep talking about what’s at stake that we will win on Nov. 8. We certainly have to keep making that case in Philadelphia and elsewhere across the state.
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