Celebrating 43 Years! Issue 43 Volume 45
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Seattle Gay News
Mayoral race gets ugly:
Durkan campaign charges Moon supporters with homophobia; controversial email at heart of the complaint
Jenny Durkan – Photo by Nate Gowdy
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan’s campaign has charged her opponent’s supporters with homophobia as the campaign goes into its final days before the
November 7 election. Durkan’s campaign spokesperson, Stephanie Formas, emailed the SGN on October 24, saying that sexist and homophobic attacks on Durkan were “now being
David Rolf– Photo courtesy of SEIU 775 and Nicole Grant – Photo courtesy of MLKCLC
by Nicole Grant, Martin Luther King County Labor Council and David Rolf, SEIU 775 Special to the SGN
see EMAIL page 8
Pramila Jayapal speech against Trump tax plan
Photo courtesy of Pramila Jayapal / Twitter
“Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this Fiscal Year ’18 budget resolution for a number of reasons, not the least of which that the underlying assumptions are grossly misleading. It assumes fictions like hundreds of billions of dollars from the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and
Two labor leaders make the case for Jenny Durkan
it assumes an economic growth rate of 3%, which most economists on both sides do not believe is possible. “This budget is merely a vehicle for Republicans to fast-track tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, and large corpo-
see JAYAPAL page 24
Seattle has become a beacon to the nation, pioneering cutting edge policies to address income inequality and improve the lives of workers. We led by implementing a $15 minimum wage and paid sick leave,
see LABOR page 9
Alexander-Murray healthcare compromise would reduce premiums and deficit, CBO says
Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Lamar Alexander – Photo courtesy of J. Scott Applewhite / AP
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The bipartisan health care compromise brokered by Washington Democrat Patty Murray and Tennessee Republican Lamar Alexander would reduce insurance
premiums for consumers and also reduce the federal budget deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The Alexander-Murray bill would restore federal funding for CSRs – the “cost-sharing reduction” payments
see HEALTHCARE page 24
What is TRUVADA for PrEP?
Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?
TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.
Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you:
Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP? Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. ® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. ® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. ® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. ® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1: ® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. ® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. ® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. ® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. ® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: ® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.
® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.
What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: ® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. ® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. ® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. ® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP? ® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. ® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA. ® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk. ® All the medicines you take, including prescription and overthe-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. ® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.
October 27, 2017 1 2 TVDC0135_PrEP_D_10x15-675_SeattleGayNews_Bears_p1.indd Seattle Gay News
Celebrating 43 7/24/17 Years! 2:28 PM
We’re adventurous, not reckless. We know who we are. And we make choices that fit our lives. TRUVADA for PrEP™ is a once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices. ® TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex. ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you.
Learn more at truvada.com
Visit us online www.sgn.org 2 TVDC0135_PrEP_D_10x15-675_SeattleGayNews_Bears_p1.indd
October 27, 2017
Seattle Gay News 3 7/24/17 2:28 PM
IMPORTANT FACTS
This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.
(tru-VAH-dah) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP
Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative. • Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. • You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. • If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. • See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information. TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. • Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. • Bone problems. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP.
ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. • To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: • Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. • Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP • Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1. • Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. • Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices. • Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. • Have any other medical conditions. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP.
HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. • Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. • Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. • Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.
GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection. • Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.
TRUVADA FOR PREP, the TRUVADA FOR PREP Logo, the TRUVADA Blue Pill Design, TRUVADA, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: April 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. TVDC0135 07/17
October 27, 2017 3 4 TVDC0135_PrEP_D_10x15-675_SeattleGayNews_Bears_p1.indd Seattle Gay News
Celebrating 43 7/24/17 Years! 2:28 PM
Seattle Gay News FOUNDED 1974 MEMBER
2017
1707 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 324-4297 sgn2@sgn.org sgn.org
Deadlines Classifieds | Thursday at Noon Calendar | Tuesday at 6pm Display Ads Space Reservation | Monday at 5pm Ad Copy (non-camera ready) | Tuesday at 5pm Ad Copy (camera-ready) | Wednesday at 5pm Letters to the Editor | Tuesday at 5pm Obituaries | Call the SGN office All others | Tuesday at 5pm
Editor in Chief George Bakan Associate Editor Shaun Knittel Travel Editor George Bakan Copy Editor Rick McKinnon (since Dec 2013) Advertising George Bakan • Maggie Bloodstone MK Scott National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Staff Writers Mike Andrew • Sara Michelle Fetters Miryam Gordon • Shaun Knittel Albert Rodriguez Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen • Ron Anders Eric Andrews-Katz • Madelyn Arnold Alice Bloch • Maggie Bloodstone Beau Burriola • Sharon Cumberland Jessica Davis • Tina Gianoulis Anthony Greer • Milton W. Hamlin Nevin Jefferson • Richard Kennedy Liz Meyer • Jason A. Miller Jesse Monteagudo David Nguyen aka Teriyaki Temple Rod Parke • Don Paulson Jerry Peerson • Jessica Price Scott Rice • Leslie Robinson MK Scott • Gaysha Starr Paul Torres • Janice Van Cleve Ed Walsh • James Whitely Scott Wittet • Rex Wockner
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Seattle Turkish Film Festival presents Mr. Gay Syria
Calendar Editors Mike Andrew • Rick McKinnon Classifieds Rick McKinnon Photographers Nate Gowdy • Joseph P. Herron Shaun Knittel • James Whitely Production Mike Pham Website Designer Barry Thorsness / Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2017. Frogs and Ink, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reprints by permission. Publication of names, photographs, or likeness of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe.
Photo courtesy of Seattle Turkish Film Festival
It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your ad. Credit will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
In Loving Memory Of Steve Foiles • Scott Roger Alpert Cookie Andrews-Hunt James Leland Moore Randy Peters • Lee Richeson Shaun Shelton • Jim Tully James Arnold
Hello SGN Editors, My name is Emek Erarslan and I am the director of Seattle Turkish Film Festival (www.stff.org). I am reaching out to you to see if you could help us spread the word about the award-winning documentary called Mr. Gay Syria. Mr. Gay Syria depicts a powerful story about the lives and struggles of Syrian gay refugees living in Istanbul and pursuing a
Visit us online www.sgn.org
dream of winning a beauty contest to represent Syria at Mr. Gay World. The screening will happen on Friday, Nov. 3rd at 9:30pm at SIFF Uptown. We think this film will be well-received by Seattle audience and we would like to get as many people as possible to see it which will help with raising awareness and support the filmmakers. I am wondering if we can collaborate with SGN in promoting Mr. Gay Syria.
I am adding a few links below. Also, if you search it online you will see it has received extensive press coverage so far. Trailer/teaser: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=MayoAfj4djQ Just to be transparent, Seattle Turkish Film Festival is a non-profit organization and run by an all-volunteer team.
October 27, 2017
Seattle Gay News 5
Best, Emek
6 Seattle Gay News
October 27, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
October 27, 2017
Seattle Gay News 7
From Asia, with Pride
Photo by Austin Yoder / Matador Network
by Mark Segal Philadelphia Gay News I’ve been traveling out of the country for the last couple of weeks, and with what seems to be so much disagreement in our community on a range of issues, and the ongoing doubts about where our struggle is leading, I thought I’d share with you a few snapshots from my trip – which should give you a different view of our community and our accomplishments.
continued from cover promoted by one of the top donors to Cary Moon’s SuperPAC/IE.” As documentation, Formas forwarded a fundraising pitch from the LGBT Victory Fund, which has endorsed Durkan. “The opponents of Jenny Durkan – who could become the first lesbian mayor of Seattle – are launching sexist and homophobic attacks just two weeks before election day,” the Victory Fund said. “In a widespread appeal, one of her opponent’s top supporters said people should vote against Jenny because a woman can be in power “without always looking like a man,” an outrageous slur meant to belittle a strong, experienced, battle-tested lesbian determined to make lives better for the people of Seattle.” [Italics and bold in the original.] When asked to name the Moon supporters involved, Formas pointed the SGN to an October 17 email sent by Lisa Fitzhugh to her private email list. Fitzhugh is a community activist, onetime advisor to former
8 Seattle Gay News
My trip has taken me to Asia. It has always been on my bucket list to see a place full of temples called Angkor Wat, deep in Cambodia. There are no direct flights from the U.S. or Europe so, to get there, your first point is a major city in Asia that has flights to Siem Reap, the city of 300,000 next to the Angkor complex. After several days of touring some of the 300 temples – one of which on its own has 402 acres – and seeing the floating villages, on the last night it seemed only appropriate to visit one of the two gay bars/clubs in this tiny, dusty, very humid outpost. There were about 30 customers, and since it was a Saturday night, many were there to see a drag show. The crowd was a mix of locals and tourists. While I was sitting at my table just watching the crowd, I overheard a group behind me speaking
in English and talking with excitement about the upcoming Gay Pride in Tai Pea [Taipei], on Oct. 28. For some reason, I turned to face them and one of them said in a friendly voice, full of pride, “You should come to Pride.” My response, with a smile, was, “I have.” Turning around, it began to dawn on me that this sense of pride he has, and so many others around the world have, is a gift to them by us here in the U.S. We invented Pride. We taught the world to have pride. We exported that to every part of the world, and today it is the rallying cry to fight for equality. In some countries, people have to literally endure attacks from brutal, roving gangs and arrests, but still they cling to Pride. And in emerging countries, even in Cambodia, you go down a little street and you can see Gilbert Baker’s rainbow flag
waving proudly in the breeze. We can change the world, and we have. What Pride stands for since that very first one in June 1970, created by a gentleman named Craig Rodwell, was a call for unity in our community, and a day to celebrate us. It is our day, and it stands for our struggle. “Pride” is one strong word, and it’s not just a word – we’ve made it a symbol, and it has become symbolic across the entire world.
Seattle Mayor Paul Schell, founder of the Creative Ground consulting group, and also a supporter of Durkan’s rival, Cary Moon. Formas also said that Fitzhugh’s email was “highlighted” by Jabe Blumenthal, the “top donor” mentioned in Formas’s email to the SGN, on his personal blog. However, there is currently no mention of Fitzhugh’s email or the ideas contained in it on Blumenthal’s blog. In her email, which was sent by Formas to the SGN, Fitzhugh reflects on the legacy of Seattle’s first – and to date only – woman mayor, Bertha Knight Landes, and then explains why she likes Moon. Fitzhugh describes Durkan as “resembling machinery, political machinery to be exact,” a phrase Formas highlighted as offensive. “For those of you who are afraid of leaning into Cary Moon for Mayor, I say listen to your heart,” Fitzhugh continued. “Listen to a debate between Jenny Durkan and Cary Moon and ask yourself who feels more grounded and real. Ask yourself who inspires you more to care and get involved. And ask yourself who is modeling a new way women can be in their power without always looking and
acting like a man. We can be women and also be powerful executives. It can be done, and Cary shows us how.” [Bold and underscore in the original.] Formas also highlighted the underscored sentence as “sexist and homophobic.” When contacted by the SGN, Fitzhugh denied the charges leveled at her by Durkan’s campaign. She did not mean “looking and acting like a man” to be taken literally, she explained. “I have learned that expressing any point of view about the ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ from a heteronormative POV is, for some people in the LBGTQ community, inherently homophobic,” Fitzhugh wrote in an explanatory email to the SGN. “So I can understand why they would read my remarks and take offense. For this I apologize. I have lived my life as a straight white female, trying to mold myself into ‘looking and acting more like a man’ to be accepted by the patriarchal power structure. I believe men have defined what executive power ‘looks like’ (not as in how we dress or do our hair) but how we lead and make decisions and involve people, etc. I am uniquely moved by Cary Moon’s abil-
ity to show up [and] NOT come across in the more male version of executive power. I have still not found the courage to do that myself and I find it inspiring.” Moon’s campaign consultant, Heather Weiner – an out Lesbian – told the SGN that she interpreted Fitzhugh’s remarks as an unsuccessful attempt to address the issue of gender roles in politics. “To me, a lesbian married to a masculine/butch woman, I didn’t see it as homophobic but part of a larger discussion about gender,” Weiner said. “Any time a woman – regardless of sexuality – operates in the public sphere, she’s scrutinized for gender cues, and that’s got to stop. While I understand the underlying intent, to open up a discussion about sexism and gender roles in politics, the writer chose the wrong words and understandably a few people were offended. She’s since apologized.”
October 27, 2017
Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. His recently published best selling memoir, And Then I Danced, is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or at your favorite bookseller.
Celebrating 43 Years!
Endorsements roll in for Jenny Durkan On Thursday, October 26, former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan received the endorsements of The Seattle Medium, Northwest Asian Weekly, and Northwest Vietnamese News, which follows the endorsement of Seattle Gay News. Take a look..... Northwest Asian Weekly Two crucial races “The Northwest Asian Weekly is endorsing Jenny Durkan because she is a strong candidate, experienced, and has a good track record of getting things done. Eric H. Holder Jr., the U.S. attorney general from 2009 to 2015, said it best in a statement endorsing Durkan. “Jenny doesn’t just discuss the problems – she takes urgent action.” And action is what we need in Seattle. A doer, not a talker. From solving homelessness, finding affordable housing solutions, and more, Durkan is familiar with the pulse of the Asian community, and its issues and needs. She also has the support of many prominent Asian community leaders, such as Dolores Sibonga – first woman of color to serve on the Seattle City Council. Sibonga told the Northwest Asian Weekly that Durkan has worked with community leaders of people of color for a long time, including Ruthann Kurose, Martha Choe, Gary Locke, and Nate Miles. In fact, Locke endorsed Durkan in the mayoral race – a big deal coming from the nation’s first Chinese American governor, the first Chinese American U.S. ambassador to China, the first Chinese American commerce secretary, and King County Executive – and Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell. Even the city’s interim mayor, Tim Burgess, said, “Jenny is a leader who will get good things done for our city.” Cary Moon, in our opinion, is too concerned with gathering too much input, hampering the ability to make quick decisions necessary for challenging problems. Durkan was one of President Obama’s first appointments. She’s been on the front lines fighting for civil rights and making real systemic reforms for decades. We hope you join us in standing with her.”
LABOR
continued from cover creating a fully funded Office of Labor Standards, and requiring that new development in the city must contribute to creating more affordable housing. We passed landmark legislation criminalizing wage theft, mandating secure scheduling for retail and food service workers, restricting the use of arrest and conviction records in hiring, and requiring that community members be hired on local construction projects. These victories did not happen by accident. It took a lot more than t-shirts, bullhorns, and good intentions to get policies that put billions of dollars back in workers’ pockets passed and implemented. It happened because Seattle’s labor movement came together with other grassroots, civically-minded organizations and with experienced elected leaders to do the hard work of developing innovative progressive policies and building broad coalitions of support for them. Our two organizations helped lead the way for $15, secure scheduling, paid sick leave, ban-the-box, and the other victories workers have won in Seattle. Now, we are enthusiastically supporting Jenny Durkan for Seattle Mayor. As President Obama’s U.S. Attorney, Durkan has the dedication and experience Seattle needs to unify and advance in this dangerous, turbulent time for our nation. If this race is about who will be more successful actually improving the quality of life of people of Seattle then the choice is obvious: Jenny Durkan. Workers are supporting Jenny because
Jenny Durkan – Photo by Nate Gowdy
Northwest Vietnamese News Progressive values should be inclusive and so should our next mayor “In examining both candidates’ backgrounds, Durkan is better qualified to execute on a vision of a more inclusive, not divided, Seattle [...] While Moon has a long history of advocating for change as an urban planner and community volunteer, Durkan has actually made change happen over and over again as a U.S. Attorney who pushed for police reform,
created a Civil Rights Unit, and developed the drug courts. Durkan’s expertise in cybersecurity is a huge asset as well [...] On the issues, Durkan has proposed free community college tuition to Seattle high school grads, which will also function to provide a trained workforce for local businesses. This is a win-win solution for our local businesses, and for the graduates of our Seattle Public School system who will have a better opportunity to compete for the well-paid jobs in our region [...] I have been
asked many times over the years to publicly endorse candidates. This is the first time I have ever felt compelled to do so because the narrative of division in this year’s election is distracting. The real difference between Moon and Durkan is their track record, not their values. My vote is to have a mayor who has the vision and experience to lead a Seattle that includes all voices.”
we know she will deliver on the bold agenda she has outlined in this campaign: two free years of community college guaranteed for every Seattle public high school graduate, rental subsidies for those at risk of being pushed out of their apartments and the city, a major expansion of low barrier shelter and micro-housing to get people out of dangerous and unsanitary tent cities that Seattle’s homelessness crisis caused. We know she’ll deliver because we’ve seen her do it time and again. When the anti-LGBTQ, anti-environment, union-hating Evergreen Freedom Foundation started attacking union rights for Washington workers, Jenny stepped up, working pro bono to oppose them. When the Seattle Police Department was found to be engaging in biased policing and excessive use of force, Jenny stepped up, negotiating a federal consent decree that has led to Seattle police use of force incidents declining by 60 percent. When right-wing Republican Dino Rossi tried to overturn the results of the 2004 gubernatorial election – which he lost by 133 votes – Jenny stepped up, successfully defeating him in court. When poor and minority people in our state were not receiving the protections they needed, Jenny stepped up, forming one of the first civil rights divisions in any U.S. Attorney’s Office in the nation. We’ve both worked with multiple mayors, with front row seats to see the sausage get made, and we know that creating positive progressive change is not easy. Mayor of Seattle is not an easy job, or an entry-level position in government. Talk is cheap – it takes experience and political skills to build coalitions to create positive change.
Jenny Durkan has that experience and those skills. While she is well-intentioned, it’s obvious to us that Cary Moon does not. Let’s get real about Moon: the truth is that unlike Seattle’s threatened working class families, Cary Moon has barely had an actual job, one where she worked for a living and drew a paycheck, in decades. While Jenny Durkan was in court fighting for workers with lung cancer who were exposed to workplace toxins, Cary Moon was hanging out and being rich. Now, on a lark, Moon wants one of the toughest and most important jobs in Washington State, one that involves oversight of more than 10,000 employees in more than 30 departments? Meanwhile, Moon has taken contradictory or poorly-considered positions on several important issues in the scant months of her candidacy. High-earners income tax? She told the audience at an April 20th Democratic Legislative District forum she was against it, then later reversed herself and said she was for it. Mandatory Housing Affordability? She wants to go back to the drawing board, even as rents increase every month. And she stirred controversy among some Chinese-American leaders for an article she co-wrote that pointed to “Chinese money” as a cause of housing hyperinflation, coupled with her proposal to tax non-resident real estate buyers. Her political party affiliation? The day she announced her candidacy she told the Stranger she’d have to “get back to (them) about that” before later deciding to be a Democrat. Her commitment to economic justice and equity? Pretty impressive on the stump, until you realize she bought
the primary by writing herself a six-figure check. In contrast, Jenny is a badass brawler with a long track record of standing up and winning for the little guy and gal, and for the interests of working families at the federal, state, and local levels. We want the tough, experienced, woman who will deliver real results. Seattle is facing unprecedented growth and unprecedented challenges. Our region is growing by 100,000 people every year. People are flocking to a civic capitol that is welcoming, safe and prosperous. To lead in these times, tackling homelessness, housing affordability, environmental degradation, transit capacity and transportation gridlock, we need a powerhouse who unites our city against the Trump threat. These are tough and complicated problems. They aren’t going to get solved with the dreamy promises of a novice. It’s going to take principled, experienced leadership and a proven ability to build coalitions. Jenny Durkan offers that; Cary Moon doesn’t. That’s why Jenny is our choice for mayor of Seattle. Please join us in supporting her this November.
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Courtesy of Jenny Durkan for Mayor
In solidarity, Nicole Grant Executive Secretary and Treasurer Martin Luther King County Labor Council David Rolf President SEIU 775 This guest editorial first appeared on The Stranger SLOG 10/26/17.
Who’s your daddy? That’s my boy!
Congratulations to SML Seattle Leather Daddy and Daddy’s boy contest winners Seattle Men in Leather (SML) sponsored the 29th Annual Seattle Leather Daddy and Daddy’s boy Contest on Saturday, October 7, at 7pm at The Cuff Complex. Seattle Leather Daddy and Daddy’s boy contestants were scored by a panel of six judges on their Interview, Physical Image and Attitude, Impromptu Question, Formal Leather Image, and Audience Vote. SML contest winners are expected to promote the men’s Leather, denim, and uniform lifestyles to the greater community, sponsor three fundraising events, and help Seattle Men in Leather further its goals throughout their title year.
Seattle Men in Leather is a gay men’s social group consisting of individuals who seek or live the Leather/Uniform/Rubber/etc. lifestyle, providing opportunities for friendship, mentoring, education, and support of the community. The 2017/18 Club Charity is Seattle Area Support Groups (SASG) – http:// www.sasgcc.org/. More information about Seattle Men in Leather can be obtained at http://www. seattlemeninleather.org Photos by Malixe Photo
Hostess Shawna Clausen and Barry Burns
Seattle Men in Leather’s new Daddy and Daddy’s boy Daddy Nightcat and boy Debit
Boylesque Entertainer Fosse Jack
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October 27, 2017
All contestants from right to left: Daddy Don, Daddy Nightcat, boy Micro, boy Debit, boy Lobo and boy Jacob
Celebrating 43 Years!
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Celebrating 43 Years!
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Celebrating 43 Years!
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Celebrating 43 Years!
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Celebrating 43 Years!
Mr. Nude Seattle Contest returns after 7-year hiatus Contestant George awarded title and $500 cash prize by MK Scott SGN Contributing Writer It is hard to believe that 2009 was the last time Seattle held a Mr. Nude Seattle Contest. Started in the late-’90s, Mr. Nude Seattle was an annual contest held mostly at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute at 17th & E Yesler Way in the Central District. At long last, under the direction of Martin, Creator and Producer of the Mr. Nude Seattle Contest, Mr. Nude Seattle was back this Wednesday, October 25th, with Latrina Bidet and Mark “Mom” Finley back as the Co-Hosts and a special burlesque performance by Angel Snowbunny. With only three contestants, the evening went by quickly beginning with the First Look (clothed), continuing with the Striptease, followed by the Q&A in the nude, and the Final Look (nude). In the end it was George winning the title and the $500 cash prize with 1st and 2nd runner-ups, Hartley and Shane. The event was sponsored by Active Delivery Service, Astroglide, Castle Megastore, Changes, Club Z, Diesel, Haircomb, The Olympians, Seattle Gay News and True Love Tattoo and Art Gallery. Not bad after being away for 7 years. Look for the next contest in February 2019. Photos by MK Scott
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October 27, 2017
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LGBT HISTORY MONTH
Randy Wicker: Unsung hero in LGBT-rights movement by Jeremy Rodriguez Philadelphia Gay News Randy Wicker may not be a familiar name to those familiar with LGBT history – but the 79-year-old made his mark in the movement, beginning in the 1960s. Many assume the first organized protest for gay rights occurred on April 17, 1965, in front of the White House, where demonstrators, including Frank Kameny, protested the firing of gay and lesbian civil servants. However, seven months earlier, Wicker organized his own gay-rights demonstration. On Sept. 19, 1964, Wicker and nine other members of the Sexual Freedom League picketed in front of the U.S. Army Induction Center to protest the confidentiality violation of gay men’s draft records. Wicker is also believed to have been the first openly gay person to appear on East Coast television without a fake name or disguise earlier that same year. PGN sat down with Wicker to discuss these historic firsts, his time as the roommate of trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, his thoughts on President Donald Trump and his advice on how the community can move forward. PGN: Your family asked you to change your name from Charles Gervin Hayden, Jr. after you told them about your involvement in the 1960s gay-rights movement. How did you feel when they requested that of you? RW: My father was very supportive. When he found out I was gay, he wanted me to be the best-adjusted gay person I could be because he wouldn’t always be there to support me. His name was “Senior” and in those days, he worked for the same corporation for about 27 years. So he just said to me, “I don’t think you’ll get far with this. Just do me one favor, will you?” I said, “What’s that?” And he said, “Don’t involve my good name.” So I assumed the name Randolfe Wicker as a pseudonym very early in the movement because I had to respect my father’s wishes. I didn’t want to cause him any problems. PGN: How did you choose your new name? RW: I saw a movie with Randolph Scott and I thought it was very elegant. He got off a yacht and stood on a pier. I remember Donald Webster Cory, who had published The Homosexual in America, had to choose a middle name because they were afraid there would be a Donald Cory somewhere that would sue so I thought I’d spell “Randolph” a different way. It seemed to me that it could easily be spelled “R-a-n-do-l-f-e.” So I chose the unique spelling of the name. PGN: In 1962, New York’s WBAI Radio broadcast a radio program called “The Homosexual In America,” on which psychiatrists talked about homosexuality as a disease. You marched in and confronted the station’s public-affairs director. What led you to doing that, and what transpired from that encounter? RW: They [previously aired] these panels where psychiatrists were talking about homosexuality as a disease and how they treated it. I went up and told them this problem is illegitimate because homosexuals were the real authority on homosexuality. So the gentleman told me, “Get together a panel and I’ll come and interview them.” So I got together a panel and he did the interview and a week before it was broadcast, Jack O’Brian, who was a right-wing columnist for the [New York] Journal American, said that WBAI had announced this program because they thought homosexuals had a right to be heard and the six-
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Randy Wicker – Photo by Ryan Wolowski
man panel would discuss “the ease of living the gay life.” So I took this little attack in the Journal American a week before the broadcast and made the rounds to Newsweek, Variety, the New York Times and told them about this show. When the program was finally broadcast, it was written up by the New York Times. It was a news story. It was reviewed by Jack Gould from the Times. It got a full-page in Newsweek. It made Variety. It was the most-publicized broadcast that the network ever did. PGN: You appeared on “The Les Crane Show” and answered questions about homosexuality, where you were believed to be the first gay person to appear openly on East Coast TV without a disguise or a fake name. RW: They contacted me and “Les Crane” was the cutting-edge new show, and homosexuality was one of the taboo
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topics. I had to answer call-in questions and some of them were pretty direct. I had one woman call in and say she had a cousin or an uncle who she knew was gay. She worried about him being in contact with her children. I told her I thought the chances of any problems like that would be very minor, especially if she let him know that she knew he was gay, knew that he would not do anything nefarious. PGN: What kind of reactions did you receive after that TV appearance? RW: Generally very good. When I opened my [Art Deco] store in 1974, I’d say for a period of maybe 10 years, there would be several people who would come through that door every week and they always said the same thing. They said, “You changed my life.” People don’t realize that, in those days, you thought you were the only one. Then, they saw me on “The Les Crane
Show” and it made them realize there were others like themselves. PGN: Later that year, you also organized a protest at the New York City U.S. Army Induction Center. What led you to doing that? RW: There were two things. First, if you were in the Army and they found out, you would get a dishonorable discharge and that’s something that would follow you all your life. I actually found out that being 4F was a problem because you have to have a problem while you’re a 4F so I came up with the idea that I had a childhood history of epilepsy. Then when I decided to become a substitute teacher in New York City, [I learned] that to become a teacher, you had to sign a release – supposedly, your draft records are private – but to get a teaching license, you would have to sign a release to enable them to look into your records and
Celebrating 43 Years!
see why you’re 4F. This was the ’60s and that eliminated my chance to use my degree effectively. Sometimes, they’ll tell you that whatever you say is confidential. It’s not necessarily so. PGN: You were once roommates with Marsha P. Johnson. What are some memories you look back on with her? RW: She was the greatest thing that happened to me in my life. She always made us laugh. Whenever I would invite anyone to my house, they would fall in love with Marsha. I think it’s just amazing that people fall in love with her through [the documentary I helped finance], “Pay It No Mind – The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson.” We have a Marsha P. Johnson fan page on Facebook and that page has its own life. The more people hear about Marsha, the more people look [up to her]. PGN: What are your thoughts on the current political climate? RW: Donald Trump scares me to death but I think what he has really done is he’s caused the younger generation to become interested in civics and politics. With his really hateful policies, he has made young people that never vote realize how the government works. I think we have a great civics lesson with Donald Trump. Hopefully, it will reinvigorate our society and get young people involved. This reminds me of the Vietnam War. People were being involuntarily drafted in the Army and, all of a sudden, people were really concerned about what’s happening overseas. Today we have problems with immigration – all the Dreamers and all of these people that really are Americans but aren’t recognized as such. PGN: What do you think the LGBT community can learn from your activism? RW: I really do feel [the people in Washington, DC] are mainly a bunch of overpaid, mealy-mouthed bureaucrat lobbyists but I stand in awe of what these mealy-mouthed bureaucrat lobbyists have
Wicker on “The Les Crane Show”
accomplished. I never dreamed I would ever live to see gay marriage. That was so far off our radar. I never thought I would live to see the things we’re seeing now but, then again, I’m also scared because it seems to me we have two worlds, and one world is going backwards. That’s the world of the Middle East where they are hanging gay people or cutting off their heads, or throwing them off buildings in places like India [Iran] or even Egypt where they just
arrested people for waving a gay flag at a concert. It seems like the fight is not over. We’re never going to be safe as a people until we’re safe everywhere. PGN: What do you think is the best way for the LGBT community to move forward? RW: Focus on liberating women and saving our brothers and sisters overseas. We have to eliminate ignorance through education. These things are like diseases. We need to eliminate homophobia the way they
try to eliminate polio. I want homophobia to go the way of smallpox and never return. Visit Randy Wicker’s recent work on Youtube via YouTube.com/RandolfeWicker. Jeremy Rodriguez is a staff writer at Philadelphia Gay News.
Comic artists Nicole J. Georges and Julia Wertz read at the Seattle Public Library Nov. 5
Photo courtesy of Hatchette Book Group
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Acclaimed cartoonists Nicole J. Georges and Julia Wertz will read from new works and discuss the process of making comics with local artist E.T. Russian from 2pm to 4pm Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium. Library events are free and open to the public. Tickets and registration are not required. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $7. Georges will read from her new graphic memoir, Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home. Wertz will read from her new collection of history comics and cityscapes, Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City. Following the readings, Russian will moderate a conversation on the artists’ prolific careers in comics and the process of creating long-form comics. Georges is a professor, writer and illustrator who lives in Portland, Oregon. She has been publishing her own zines and comics for 20 years. She is the author of the Lambda Award-winning graphic memoir Calling Dr. Laura and the diary comic Invincible Summer. Wertz is a professional cartoonist, amateur historian and part-time urban explorer/photographer who lives in the North Bay area of California. She has published five graphic novels, including The Infinite Wait and Other Stories, Drinking at the Movies and Museum of Mistakes: The Fart Party Collection, and does monthly history comics for The New Yorker and Harper’s Magazine.
Russian is a Seattle-based comics artist, author, filmmaker and advisory board member for Short Run. Russian is the author of The Ring of Fire Anthology and has published work in The Stranger, The Seattle Weekly, When Language Runs Dry, Gay Genius and The Collective Tarot. Russian is a featured artist with performance project Sins Invalid and dance company Light Motion and co-director of the movie Third Antenna. This event is presented in partnership with Short Run Seattle. For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or Ask a Librarian – https://www.spl.org/using-the-library/gethelp/ask-a-librarian
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Courtesy of the Seattle Public Library
Victory Institute, Tennessee Equality Project train LGBTQ leaders in Nashville at final leadership summit of 2017 by Reggie Greer Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute What a year it has been. Throughout 2017, LGBTQ elected officials serving at the state and local level have used their influence to safeguard basic LGBTQ rights, defeat anti-equality bills,
and advance equality when possible. Now, imagine if those LGBTQ elected officials had reinforcements. This year, Victory Institute doubled down on its commitment to cultivate, empower, train, and support the next generation of elected LGBTQ leadership in America. In 2017, Victory Institute
held four one-day trainings or leadership summits in “low equality states,” which include Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; St. Louis, MO; and Nashville, TN. At the final leadership summit of the year, Victory Institute teamed up with the Tennessee Equality Project to train 25 talented LGBTQ leaders in Nashville.
Summit participants received first-hand knowledge from some of the South’s best openly LGBTQ elected officials, including Nashville Metro Council Members Nancy VanReece and Brett Withers, General Sessions Court Judge Rachel Bell, and Charlotte City Council Member LaWana Mayfield. LGBTQ community and national leaders addressed participants as well, including Dr. Rev. Pamela Hawkins, Pastor Greg Bullard, Dr. Marisa Richmond, Carla Lewis, and Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey, who serves as AARP’s National LGBT Liaison. Leadership summits were designed to give LGBTQ leaders as many tools and skills as possible to run for office or pursue a career in government as an openly LGBTQ individual. They also serve as networking workshops where LGBTQ leaders can build community and discuss issues most important to them. Like the three previous leadership summits before it, the Nashville LGBTQ Leadership Summit was full of energized, accomplished LGBTQ individuals ready to seize the future. If Victory Institute’s leadership summits are any indication of the talent that exists within the LGBTQ community, our future is extremely bright. Courtesy of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute – https://victoryinstitute.org/
Photo courtesy of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute
PETS OF THE WEEK Adoption Center
Sunday – Wednesday | 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday – Saturday | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. 13212 SE Eastgate Wy, Bellevue, WA 98005 (425) 649-7563 | adoption@seattlehumane.org
Is your life missing a furry friend? Now is the
perfect time to open your world to a pet in need. Coldwell Banker’s Homes for Dogs program
with Adopt-a-pet.com has helped place 20,000
dogs into homes across the country. Could your
place be the next happy ending for a pet in need? Make your house a home by visiting the shelter and bringing back the pet of your dreams.
Adoption Specials: Oct. 27-29 | National Cat Day – A Weekend Celebration! Stop by Seattle Humane this weekend in honor of National Cat Day! The shelter has the purrfect match for you. Enjoy a fun and cozy weekend with some safe, indoor bonding time with your new feline friend. Kittens are available for $60 for the right families! The chillier months will be much warmer when you have a sweet, furry companion by your side.
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Baxter
Dolphin
Meet Baxter, a 1-year-old Boxer mix who would love to be your go-to guy! This sweet boy loves a good adventure and will happily trot alongside your feet, wiggling all the way. He loves a good tummy rub and would trade lots of kisses for one. If you have room in your heart and home for this sweet boy, then meet him today at Seattle Humane – you’ll be glad you did!
Say hello to Dolphin, a sweet 8-year-old more-to-love brown and white tabby girl. This teddy bear of a gal like to have her ears scratched while she relaxes and takes it easy. Come find Dolphin today and fall in love with her at PetSmart in Bellevue, a Seattle Humane satellite adoption location. She’s ready for a loving home with a new best friend and can’t wait to adore you!
As with all of our dogs, Baxter has been neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and behavior tested. He will go home with a certificate for an examination by a King County veterinarian and an identification tag. PLUS, most dog adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion and a training rebate when you complete a dog behavior course - a great way to start off on the right paw!
As with all of our cats, Dolphin is spayed, microchipped and vaccinated. All of our cats have been tested for Feline Leukemia/FIV and go home with a certificate for an examination by a King County veterinarian and their very own identification tag and collar. PLUS, most cat adoptions include 30 days of pet insurance from Trupanion - a great way to start off on the right paw!
Introduce to children 12 years and older. Resident dogs are required to visit Baxter prior to adoption. Please see our adoption advisors for additional behavior information.
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Celebrating 43 Years!
HRC opposes anti-LGBTQ Governor Brownback for Ambassador-at-Large position WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, October 26, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights organization, sent a letter to senators on the Foreign Relations Committee urging them to oppose Donald Trump’s nomination for the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, staunch anti-LGBTQ politician Sam Brownback. “Given Governor Brownback’s antiLGBTQ record, it is deeply worrying that he could use this position to promote the harmful idea that individuals holding certain religious views should somehow be permitted to discriminate against LGBTQ people or other minorities,” said HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy. “This is particularly concerning because LGBTQ people often face persecution in the same countries where religious minorities face persecution. Gov. Brownback must not be allowed to use this position to reverse the State Department’s longstanding policies, reiterated by Secretary of State Tillerson earlier this year, to support ‘the fundamental freedoms of LGBTQ persons to live with dignity and freedom.’” Brownback doubled down on his discriminatory record at his hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on October 4, when he pointedly refused to answer Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) repeated question on if there were “any circumstance under which religious freedom can justify criminalizing, imprisoning, or executing somebody based on their LGBT status could be deemed acceptable because somebody asserts they are religiously motivated in doing so.” If confirmed, Brownback would be
tasked with promoting religious freedom as a key objective of U.S. foreign policy while monitoring religious persecution and discrimination around the world. This position has historically played an important role in combating the dangerous and often deadly religious persecution that plagues so many corners of our world. This is an important mission, but one that Trump and Mike Pence have shown they are only interested in upholding a very limited version of by nominating Brownback. Instead, Trump, Pence, and Brownback are determined to further advance a dangerous license to discriminate under the guise of religious freedom. One of the nation’s least popular governors, Brownback has an extensive history of opposing equality at every turn and has promoted discriminatory laws in the Sunflower State. As governor, he orchestrated a policy change that would make it nearly impossible for transgender Kansans to change their birth certificates to reflect their gender identity. He also signed into law a legislative attack on LGBTQ college students that forces public universities to fund student organizations that discriminate by restricting membership and denying LGBTQ students from participating under the guise of “religious beliefs.” In 2015, Brownback shamefully attacked LGBTQ state employees by stripping away non-discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Later that year, following the landmark ruling declaring marriage equality law of the land, Brownback issued another blatantly discriminatory executive order against LGBTQ Kansans. The measure prohibited the state government
Gov. Sam Brownback – Photo courtesy of AP
from taking action against clergy members or faith organizations that deny services to same sex couples based on religious beliefs. The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization work-
ing to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
HRC statement on Egyptian legislation criminalizing LGBTQ community and allies WASHINGTON, D.C. – [On Thursday, October 26,] the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, expressed horror over the news that a group of Egyptian lawmakers have proposed a broad anti-LGBTQ law criminalizing LGBTQ people and allies. “In the past two months, more than 60 LGBTQ Egyptians have been arrested.
Now, a group of Egyptian lawmakers have reportedly proposed disturbing new legislation that punishes same-sex relationships with imprisonment,” said HRC Global Director Ty Cobb. “This bill is one of the most dangerous anti-LGBTQ proposals we have seen in recent memory – going so far as to punish anyone waving a rainbow flag with no less than one year in prison. It would require the public outing of anyone convicted under the proposed law. It could
also be used to imprison allies who speak in support of LGBTQ people or hosting an LGBTQ event.” Earlier this month, HRC joined Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and a coalition of human rights groups from around the world in calling on Egyptian authorities and the media to uphold the human rights and freedom of expression of their LGBTQ citizens.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
Tillerson urged to condemn proposed Egyptian law criminalizing homosexuality WASHINGTON, D.C. – [On Thursday, October 26] Human Rights First condemned proposed Egyptian legislation that would criminalize same-sex relations and public support of LGBT people. The bill, introduced yesterday, would mandate imprisonment for individuals convicted of participating in such relations, for promoting events tailored to LGBT people, or for carrying any symbol or sign of the LGBT community, such as the rainbow flag. Human Rights First calls on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to speak out publicly against the proposed legislation. “In the 21st century, criminalization laws should be repealed, not introduced. This bill is nothing more than an attempt to further scapegoat a vulnerable community,
and to further restrict basic rights and freedoms of all Egyptians,” said Human Rights First’s Shawn Gaylord. “Secretary Tillerson needs to condemn this legislation, and call on President Sisi to reject it and any other restriction on human rights in Egypt.” Egypt’s parliament is likely to pass the legislation, which will then head to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to be signed in to law. In the midst of an economic crisis and a growing wave of domestic terrorism, the crackdown on the LGBT community appears to have been manufactured in part to distract from President Sisi’s policy failures. Last month in Cairo, during a concert by the Lebanese rock group Mashrou’ Leila, a
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small group of fans raised a gay pride flag, causing a firestorm of homophobic rhetoric in Egyptian media and an intensified crackdown on the country’s LGBT community. Over 65 people have been detained and dozens have been charged with crimes on charges such as “spreading debauchery” or “promoting sexual deviancy” – two charges already available to Egyptian authorities to prosecute activities specified in the new draft legislation. In August, the Trump Administration denied and withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance to Egypt. The decision was meant in part to persuade the Egyptian government to end its crackdown on independent civil society organizations. The current campaign against the
LGBT community is an escalation of the same policies the Trump Administration has already signaled opposition to. “With a long history of military and financial support to Egypt, the United States has both the access and the influence to convince Sisi to not sign this legislation,” added Gaylord. “Secretary Tillerson needs to make clear to Egyptian authorities that in order to release current holds on military funding, and to avoid possible further holds in the future, the government needs to be lifting restrictions on basic rights and freedoms, not adding new ones.”
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Courtesy of Human Rights First
Anti-LGBTQ KY Judge Mitchell Nance resigns Advocacy groups filed ethics complaint in May for refusing adoptions to same-sex couples
“LGBTQ people who seek to provide adoptive homes for children who need them, and all other LGBTQ Kentuckians, now have clarity that anti-LGBT bias from the bench will not be tolerated in their state.” LOUISVILLE, KY – [On Wednesday, October 25] Kentucky Family Court Judge W. Mitchell Nance notified Governor Matthew G. Bevin and the Commonwealth of Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission of his resignation. In May, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Kentucky, Kentucky’s Fairness Campaign, and University of Louisville Law Professor Sam Marcosson filed a complaint against Judge Nance for violating Kentucky’s Code of Judicial Conduct by recusing himself from any adoption proceedings involving lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. “Judge Nance must have seen the writing on the wall,” said Chris Hartman, Director of the Fairness Campaign. “He had proven he could not deliver the basic impartiality required by his office when it came to LGBTQ people and their families. Judge Nance’s only possible pathways forward at that point were resignation or removal from office – either is a victory for social justice and LGBTQ civil rights.” “All citizens of Kentucky have the right to fair treatment before the judiciary,” said Currey Cook, Counsel and Youth in Outof-Home Care Project Director at Lambda Legal. “LGBTQ people who seek to provide adoptive homes for children who need them, and all other LGBTQ Kentuckians, now have clarity that anti-LGBT bias from the bench will not be tolerated in their state.” “Judges, more than anyone else, have a responsibility to follow the law,” said University of Louisville Law Professor Sam Marcosson. “By making it clear that he could not, or would not do that, Judge
JAYAPAL
continued from cover rations. Any assertion of cuts for working families is debunked by experts like Leonard Burman, co-founder of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, who has called this ‘utterly implausible’.
HEALTHCARE continued from cover
designed to help keep insurance premiums low – that was eliminated by a Donald Trump executive order. The compromise would also have allowed discount insurance plans to be sold across state lines, a concession to Republicans. The CBO is a federal agency that provides statistical analysis to lawmakers. Its “nonpartisan analysis shows that our bill provides savings and ensures that funding two years of cost-sharing payments will benefit taxpayers and low-income Americans, not insurance companies,” Murray’s office said in an October 25 statement.
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Campaign, and University of Louisville Law Professor Sam Marcosson argued that Judge Nance’s order and subsequent letter to the Chief Justice proposing a local rule that would allow him to recuse himself for an entire class of litigants based solely on their sexual orientation violate Kentucky’s Code of Judicial Conduct in two ways: eroding public confidence in the judiciary and failing to perform judicial duties impartially and diligently. Judge Nance could not be fair and impartial and rule in the best interests of children when he declares an explicit bias against LGB parents. Judge Nance’s order eroded the public’s confidence in the court and demonstrated a prejudice based on sexual orientation that places a procedural burden on LGB parents that is not on other individuals. Because it was clear that he could not be fair and impartial when it comes to lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, the advocacy groups urged in the complaint that Judge Nance be removed from office. Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
Mitchell Nance – Photo courtesy of Glasgow Daily Times
Founded in 1991, the Fairness Campaign is Kentucky’s broad-based community effort dedicated to equal rights for lesbian gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Its primary goal is comprehensive civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and to dismantle systemic racism.
Nance demonstrated that he simply had no place on the bench. Kentucky’s justice system, and all who come before it, are better off in light of his resignation.” On April 27, 2017, Kentucky Family Court Judge W. Mitchell Nance of the 43rd Judicial Circuit Court filed an order that would require attorneys to notify the court if the adoption matter being filed involved same-sex couples or lesbian, gay, or bisex-
ual individuals, so that he could disqualify and recuse himself. Judge Nance cited his personal conviction as the reason for the order. He said that “under no circumstance would ‘... the best interest of the child ... be promoted by the adoption ...’ by a practicing homosexual.” In the complaint filed in May, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Kentucky, the Fairness
“Mr. Chairman, the facts are this: 80% of the Republican tax cuts go to the top 1% by 2027; the average tax cut for the top 1% in 2027 will be $207,000; 42 million middle class households will face a tax increase, including those earning between $50,000 and $150,000, who will see a tax increase of one-third. “That is what this budget lays the path
for. If we want to see where this will lead, let’s just look at Kansas – a place where a Republican legislature has rolled back the tax cuts that they passed from several years ago because they simply didn’t work and put Kansas’ economy into a downward spiral. “We know who wins under this budget resolution. Simply, it paves the way for a
huge tax cut for the wealthiest millionaires, billionaires, and corporations. That’s wrong, and I urge a ‘no’ vote on this budget. “Thank you, and I yield back.”
“CBO has also told us that if CSRs are not paid” – and they will no longer be paid under the terms of Trump’s executive order – “premiums in 2018 will go up an average of 20%; the federal debt will increase by $194 billion over ten years, due to the extra cost of subsidies to pay the higher premiums; and up to 16 million Americans may live in counties where they are not able to buy any insurance in the individual market,” the statement continued. “On net, CBO and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that implementing the legislation would reduce the deficit by $3.8 billion over the 2018– 2027 period relative to CBO’s baseline,” Murray’s office said. The Alexander-Murray bill was the
outcome of weeks of negotiations between the two senators and their staffs, Alexander being the chairman and Murray the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The compromise measure appeared to be dead when Senate Republicans introduced the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare), but it was revived when the Republican measure failed to gather enough support to come up for a vote and Trump resorted to an executive order instead. Unlike Republican-backed ACA repeal bills, the Alexander-Murray legislation has the support of 12 Republican and 12 Democratic co-sponsors, and it was the subject of four hearings in the Senate HELP commit-
tee plus four meetings for senators not on the committee. “All in all, 60 senators participated in the process,” Murray’s office said. In spite of the likelihood that the bill could actually pass the Senate with bipartisan support, Republican House leaders said they would never bring it up for a vote. A spokesperson for Republican Speaker Paul Ryan said he had no interest in any legislation that stopped short of a repeal of the ACA. “The speaker does not see anything that changes his view that the Senate should keep its focus on repeal and replace of Obamacare,” spokesperson Doug Andres told the Reuters news agency.
October 27, 2017
Courtesy of Lambda Legal and Kentucky’s Fairness Campaign
Courtesy of Rep. Jayapal’s office
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