Celebrating 43 Years! Issue 40 Volume 45
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Music festival in Las Vegas ends in tragedy SEC 2 PG 1
Author Armistead Maupin in Seattle Oct. 16 SEC 2 PG 1
Seattle Gay News
Governor Jay Inslee DOJ rescinds Transgender enthusiastically endorses employment protections Ends Obama-era Title VII rights Jenny Durkan
Jeff Sessions – Photo by Susan Walsh / AP
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Governor Jay Inslee – Photo courtesy of the State of Washington
Praising her progressive record and ability to get things done, Governor Jay Inslee announced his endorsement for former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan in the Seattle
mayor’s race. In a new web ad, Governor Inslee highlights Durkan’s plans to build
see JAY INSLEE page 6
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has reversed Obama-era protections for Transgender workers in a new memo. The two-page October 4 memo says that the prohibition against sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies only to biological sex and not to gender identity.
“Although federal law, including Title VII, provides various protections to transgender individuals, Title VII does not prohibit discrimination based on gender identity per se,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions wrote in the memo. “This is a conclusion of law, not policy.” Sessions’ memo reverses the Obama administration’s position that Title VII protection “encompasses discrimination
see TITLE VII page 17
How we can make Seattle Bellingham teen denied – and our country – safer medical care for gender from gun violence dysphoria at PeaceHealth
Photo by Steve Marcus / Reuters
by Jenny Durkan Former U.S. Attorney and Candidate for Seattle Mayor On Monday, we woke up to the horrific, heartbreaking news: In Las Vegas, nearly 60 of our fellow Americans had been shot and killed in the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history, ambushed from 32
stories above by a dangerous man with an arsenal of assault-style weapons of war. 22,000 people faced an unimaginable 15 minutes of terror. More than five hundred were injured with dozens who remain in critical condition. As we grieve for the victims and their
see JENNY DURKAN page 5
The Enstad Family at an ACLU press conference in Seattle on October 6, 2017.
by Sarah Toce SGN Contributing Writer A 17-year-old transgender boy named Pax Enstad was denied medical care by his mother’s employer, a Catholic health organization called PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. The civil rights lawsuit was filed Thurs-
day on behalf of the family by ACLU of Washington. Pax, his mother Cheryl and father Mark, spoke at the ACLU press conference in Seattle about the lawsuit. Pax was born female, but never felt quite right about himself. He suffered severe anxiety starting when he hit puberty at
see PAX ENSTAD page 7
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.
2 Seattle Gay News
October 6, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
I’m courageous, not careless. I know who I am. And I make choices that fit my life. 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
October 6, 2017
Seattle Gay News 3
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. TVDC0161 07/17
4 Seattle Gay News
October 6, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
Seattle Gay News FOUNDED 1974 MEMBER
2017
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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
Sen. Murray on Las Vegas shooting
WASHINGTON, DC. – [On October 2], Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after one of the deadliest mass shootings in US history: “Yet again, Americans awoke today to news of a horrific, senseless shooting that left so many innocent people dead and forced our first responders to risk their lives and run head-first into chaos. As a mother and grandmother myself, my heart hurts for the many parents who just got the call that their child is among the victims. These calls are far too familiar to families in every corner of our country, including my home state of Washington, where community
after community has been turned upside down by violence. That includes Freeman High School in Spokane County, where families are still dealing with the aftermath of a deadly shooting that happened barely two weeks ago. “No parent should have to worry whether their child will return home safe from a day at school. No child should have to worry about whether their parent will return home safe from a night at a concert. And none of us should fall back on justifications, blame, or tweeted thoughts and prayers and think we’ve done enough to keep our families, friends, and neighbors safe.
“Like so many people, I refuse to believe the politics are too tough to come together to enact common sense policies and do whatever we possibly can to keep our children safe – or that we should sit by as innocent Americans suffer rampant gun violence that is unmatched in any other country in the world. Many people may read this and say now is not the time to talk about gun safety, but like so many moms and dads in our country, I want to know – if not now, when?”
JENNY DURKAN
violating our gun laws. As United States Attorney, one of my top priorities was enforcing the laws already on the gun books and increasing gun prosecutions, including illegal possession and sales, particularly at gun shows. When Congress couldn’t act to strengthen our gun laws, I committed to do all I could as U.S. Attorney to enforce existing laws, and in Western Washington, gun prosecutions increased by 45 percent. We worked with local law enforcement, when appropriate, to use federal prosecutorial power against defendants accused of gun crime. As Mayor, I would ensure local law enforcement has the resources to enforce existing laws, particularly around extreme risk protection orders. I’m hopeful the Council will support the five additional staff members that Mayor Burgess has proposed to enforce the new law around extreme protection orders. But I also understand that we cannot just arrest our way out of violent crime. Long-term solutions require bringing together a variety of resources and community efforts. We must support and expand youth violence prevention programs including Rainier Beach’s highly successful, community-based “A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth” initiative that identifies and addresses place-based causes of youth victimization and crime and increases nonarrest interventions. And we should make public the information used to investigate gun crimes, specifically findings about trace data investigations by the SPD. While tracking or tracing gun data is not permitted at
the federal level, there is evidence that we can see how firearms get into the hands of dangerous people at the local level if we support this critical work. And we must also change our laws. I strongly support Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s Assault Weapons Ban in our state. Our Legislature should ban assault weapons, “bump stock,” and high capacity magazines as well as impose safe storage requirements and presumed liability for any injury or death caused by failure to do so. But if they can’t find the political will to do so, they should revoke the preemption provision that prevents Seattle from doing so. There is no reason that local jurisdictions shouldn’t be able to manage gun violence in a way that is appropriate for their community. Seattle should explore all our legal options to pass these life-saving measures. It might be a tough political and legal fight, but I’ve taken on tough cases before and won. We should not pretend Monday’s level of carnage is inevitable. We should not accept mere “thoughts and prayers” from our leaders. We should not accept this as an unavoidable consequence of Constitutional freedom. We cannot allow it to become the new normal. We must act. And if Congress is going to remain in the gun lobby’s grip and refuse to act, then Seattle will.
October 6, 2017
Seattle Gay News 5
continued from cover
families, we must reject the NRA’s and their Republican allies’ mantra that now is “not the time” to talk about our gun laws. No – it is exactly the time to talk about our gun laws. We must acknowledge that gun violence is both a national crisis and a national shame. Virginia Tech. Sandy Hook. The Pulse nightclub. A congressional baseball practice. Spokane. Marysville. Moses Lake. Now, Las Vegas. But there are also so many gun tragedies that don’t make the headlines. After all, 32,000 Americans are killed with a gun every single year. Seattle has taken some important steps to confront this crisis. We require that lost or stolen guns are reported within 24 hours. We voted in 2014 to approve a statewide initiative to require criminal background checks for all gun sales. We tax gun sales and re-invest that revenue in reducing gun violence, research, and the tracking of guns in our city. The University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center’s Injury Prevention and Research Center has led the nation in this research to understand the cycle of gun violence from a public health perspective. But there is more we can do to make our city – and country – a safer place to live. I say that as a mother, as someone who lost a friend and fellow federal prosecutor, Tom Wales, to gun violence, and as someone who has both represented victims of gun violence and prosecuted people for
Visit us online www.sgn.org
Courtesy of Sen. Patty Murray
Jenny Durkan is a former United States Attorney and candidate for Mayor of Seattle.
Working families continue to overwhelmingly choose Jenny Durkan
Durkan announces support of five mew unions who highlight her strong experience, including Machinists, Teamsters and Carpenters
Continuing to build a strong coalition of support, former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan announced the support of five unions including: Aerospace Machinists Union District Lodge 751, Teamsters Local 117, Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Port of Seattle Fire Fighters Local 125, and Sailors’ Union of the Pacific. In addition to highlighting her strong experience, these leaders commended Durkan’s specific plans to expand apprenticeship programs and protect workers, which is part of her Affordable Seattle Agenda. “Working families in our city want a Mayor who will fight alongside them for good jobs, and who will work with them to make theirs and their families’ lives better into the future. Jenny Durkan, herself a former Teamster, has the skills and the experience to be that leader,” said John
Scearcy, principal officer of Teamsters Local 117. “The Machinists are proud to announce our endorsement of Jenny Durkan for Mayor of Seattle,” said Machinists District 751 president Jon Holden. “Jenny will fight for family wage jobs by protecting industrial and maritime lands. And her support for workforce training will help ensure high skill jobs and livable wages for Seattle workers.” “Jenny is committed to strengthening worker protections while focusing on issues such as free access to vocational education, promoting apprenticeship programs, and building more affordable housing. Every day, we see first hand the life changing opportunities that apprenticeships provide, which is why her ideas synchronize with our goals,” said Jimmy Haun, Washington State Political Lead for the Pacific North-
west Regional Council of Carpenters. “She received our support because Seattle needs a leader who will stand strong to protect all workers from crimes like payroll fraud and will strive to connect Seattle’s diverse workforce with apprenticeship programs.” “I’m honored to have the support of so many great unions that are fighting every day to protect worker rights and build strong family wage jobs. One of the most demanding jobs I’ve had was as a baggage handler for Wien Air Alaska. I was a duespaying Teamster, and this union job helped me pay for school, so I’m forever grateful for this opportunity,” said Jenny Durkan. “Working together, we can address rising costs and create more affordable housing while building more opportunities through free college and apprenticeship programs.” Durkan now has the endorsements of working families including:
Aerospace Machinists Union District Lodge 751; Heat and Frost Insulators and Firestop Containment Workers Local 7; ILWU Local 19; ILWU Local 52; Ironworkers Local 86; M. L. King County Labor Council; Laborers 242; Operating Engineers Local 302; Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters; Port of Seattle Fire Fighters; Local 1257; Professional & Technical Employees (PTE) Local 17; Sailors’ Union of the Pacific; Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council; Seattle Fire Fighters Local 27; SEIU 775; SEIU Healthcare 1199NW; Teamsters Joint Council No. 28; Teamsters Local 117; Washington State Council of County and City Employees; UA Local 32 Plumbers and Pipefitters
Transportation for Washington endorses Jenny Durkan Citing her record of bringing community leaders together to solve complex issues facing Seattle, Transportation for Washington, which is dedicated to preserving, funding, expanding and promoting public transit and transportation choices in Washington State, announced their endorsement for Jenny Durkan for Mayor of Seattle. “Seattle has an unprecedented opportunity to expand its transportation system
to connect people to opportunity. With upcoming light rail expansion and investments in bike, transit, pedestrian, and safety projects, we need a leader who has a demonstrated track record of bringing people together to solve our challenges and deliver results. Jenny Durkan is that leader,” said Shefali Ranganathan, Executive Director. “We believe that Jenny is the best candidate to implement our shared
vision of thriving, affordable, and equitable communities connected by great transit. We are proud to support her.” “As we grow and create more affordable housing across our city, it is imperative that we provide safe, efficient and wellconnected transportation options that make it easier and safer for Seattle residents to get around. Easy and frequent transit for all neighborhoods is an equity issue. I will
work to increase mobility while reducing our carbon footprint,” said Jenny Durkan. “If elected, I will make public transportation more accessible, affordable and reliable in Seattle and our region including improving our 24/7 transit system and accelerate the expansion of light rail to West Seattle and Ballard.”
JAY INSLEE continued from cover
more micro-housing, create more affordable housing for thousands of families, and her Seattle Promise plan to provide free college tuition, which has been hailed as “bold” and “progressive.” Durkan has previously launched two web ads including “More Housing Now” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0R 9pZKfG8c&feature=youtu.be] and “Seattle Promise” [https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ULVZMlpjN3A] WATCH: “Very Jenny” [https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Lf6JECskM08&fea ture=youtu.be] Transcript of “Very Jenny” Governor Jay Inslee: Hi – I’m Jay Inslee, and I’m announcing today [Wednesday, October 4] that I’m enthusiastically endorsing Jenny Durkan for the mayor’s position for the great city of Seattle. It is such a bastion of progressive values, of openness, and tolerance – always forward thinking and inventing the future. And I’ll tell you something about Jenny Durkan – she has progressive values and she’s fought for them ever since she was a baggage handler and Teamster up in Alaska. Having those values isn’t enough. You need someone that knows how bring people
6 Seattle Gay News
Photo courtesy of YouTube
together. We need a mayor who combines progressive values with second – the ability to get things done. Her “Seattle Promise” plan so that every high school graduate can get community college tuition – is very farsighted, very
October 6, 2017
appropriate, very Jenny. She’s advanced some great ideas – micro-housing and building more housing for folks to deal with this housing crisis. These are achievable real term goals. You’ve got a leader in Jenny Durkan who
can get these things done. Seattle is a great city. It’ll be even greater with her. We need Jenny now. Courtesy of Jenny for Seattle
Celebrating 43 Years!
Maj. Margaret Witt finds strength in the struggle to TELL all by Sarah Toce SGN Contributing Writer “I just don’t feel right calling you ‘Margie,’” I said before we took the stage at Seattle’s Museum of Flight to discuss her memoir, TELL: Love, Defiance, and the Military Trial at the Tipping Point for Gay Rights. She replied, “You can call me by my full name then – once.” And just like that, Margie and I became fast friends. Town Hall Seattle’s Community Programs Curator, Kristin Leong, shared: “It was an honor to host this Town Hall Seattle event with Major Witt at the Museum of Flight. She is such a hero and yet she’s so warm and humble, so human. Although there were a hundred people in the audience that night, she really made us all feel like we were there as her friends. This was so clear during the audience Q&A. The way that Major Witt listened and responded to the personal stories of service, struggle, and resilience that audience members shared was such a powerful example of empathy and connection.” As we addressed the nearly sold-out audience sitting in the theatre on September 26, it became immediately clear that Margie had a lifetime of friendship in that distinguished crowd. Childhood friends, military comrades, veterans who never met her (but eagerly approached her after the talk to say thank you), family members, and most of all – the love of her life, wife Laurie. A Love Story Her book is indeed a love story first and foremost – a love of country, of family, friendship, and, perhaps most importantly, a love for oneself. Its message dares to demand respect for one’s journey through a myriad of internal struggle in the face of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Ultimately, she wins – and so does everyone else who’s ever had to spend a day marching in silence under the discriminatory law. Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer
Major Marjorie Witt (left), Sarah Toce (center), and Kristin Leong (right)
R.N., PhD USAR ret. offered hindsight into Margie’s battle against the discriminatory practices plaguing the armed forces for generations. Cammermeyer wrote the foreword to the book, which is fitting since her own high profile anti-discrimination case against the military is widely known as well. Her autobiography, Serving in Silence, was first published in 1995 and recounts her 31-plus years serving her country – and the unconstitutional discharge that occurred following her admission that she was a lesbian. “Throughout the years, thousands of others have walked in her shoes, bravely serving in the military while hiding their sexual orientation: many served full careers in silence while many others were dishonorably discharged because of their homosexuality,” Cammermeyer shared. “However, few had the impact her case has had on changing the military to open service. In effect, Major Witt successfully challenged 240 years of
policy and law that prohibited or limited homosexuals serving in the military.” Investigative reporter Tim Connor provided a unifying voice throughout the narrative, something Margie insisted upon. Her hope was to make the book relatable and not a bunch of legalese. What transpired was a story about one woman’s dedication to her country that spanned more than 20 years and inspired millions (in and out of uniform) to live their lives with dignity, integrity and grit. Congressman Barney Frank, Congressman Henry Waxman and Congressman Dennis Kucinich were among the 69 members of Congress who issued a statement regarding Margie’s proven track record in the military. They called her “[one] of the most accomplished and lauded members of our military...a talented defender of peace who has suffered at the hand of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy...[and whose] worth to the military and the American people was outweighed by her sexual orientation.”
With devastation and loss occurring daily in America by way of mass shootings, white supremacist rallies, health care “reform” debate (or lack thereof), and human rights issues on a daily basis, Margie has issued a new rally cry. “This fight isn’t over. Don’t let this administration roll back years of sacrifice and hard work,” she cautioned. “Don’t be distracted by the noise. Keep your eye on the ball and your head in the game. We must continue to speak up for those without a voice. Stay in the fight. Take care of each other.” A decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Margie is currently a rehabilitation supervisor for the Portland VA Health Care System in Portland, Oregon. Margie’s book is available for purchase via her website (https://www.majormargaretwitt.com/), as well as Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Powell’s, and University Press of New England.
experimental. Today, however, every major medical organization recognizes that such exclusions have no basis in medical science and that transition-related care is effective for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Discrimination by health care providers routinely causes transgender people to delay or forgo preventative and necessary medical care, putting them at greater risk for debilitating anxiety, depression, selfharm, and even suicide. As a result of PeaceHealth’s exclusion for “transgender services,” the Enstads were forced to remove $10,000 from their son’s college savings account and take out a second mortgage on their house in order to get the
help Pax needed to live a full and healthy life. “We were willing to do whatever it took to get Pax the medical care he needed – as any parent would,” Cheryl said. “When your child is singled out and rejected simply for being themselves, it’s heartbreaking, and it isn’t fair. We’re bringing this lawsuit to ensure no family has to go through what we did.” Cheryl worked at PeaceHealth over 20 years in social work and continues to be employed at the facility on an on-call basis. She admitted that it has become a strained environment since her son was denied lifesaving coverage. Her husband works as a marine engineer.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare PeaceHealth’s blanket exclusion of “transgender services” discriminatory and illegal. It also seeks unspecified damages for the Plaintiffs. The lawsuit, Enstad v. PeaceHealth, was filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Washington. PeaceHealth operates 70 sites in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska and has approximately 16,000 employees. In addition to Nowlin, attorneys for the Enstads include Josh Block and Leslie Cooper with the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project and Denise Diskin and Beth Touschner of Teller & Associates.
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age 11 and was eventually diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a serious medical condition marked by persistent and clinically significant distress caused by incongruence between an individual’s gender identity and that individual’s sex designated at birth. Gender dysphoria is a condition codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). In order to properly treat Pax’s gender dysphoria, Pax’s doctor prescribed chest reconstruction surgery. Not only did PeaceHealth deny the request after his insurance approved it, they refused treatments on the basis of his admission of being transgender. The lawsuit asserts PeaceHealth’s blanket policy of refusing to pay for medically necessary healthcare for otherwise covered transgender individuals simply because of who they are discriminates on the basis of sex and gender identity, violates the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), and is harmful to the health of transgender individuals. “PeaceHealth’s blanket of exclusion of ‘transgender services’ is not based on standards of medical care,” said ACLUWA Staff Attorney Lisa Nowlin. “This is discrimination, and it is plainly illegal. Under state and federal law, no company is allowed to single out and exclude one group of individuals from medical care that is prescribed for them by their doctors and that the company routinely provides for others.” In the past, some public and private insurance companies excluded coverage for gender dysphoria (or “transition-related care”) based on the erroneous assumption that such treatments were cosmetic or
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Town Hall Seattle presents: Parenting While Queer: Conversations with LGBTQ Parents about Identity and Family Seattle families come in all colors of the rainbow! On Saturday, October 14, starting at 2pm, Town Hall Seattle is bringing together parents from across the LGBTQ spectrum to share about their home lives – from navigating inquiries from curious strangers, to adventures in explaining how babies are made, to everyday tasks of teething and curfew negotiations. The event will be held at Plymouth Church Seattle | United Church of Christ (1217 6th Avenue – between University and Seneca Streets) in downtown Seattle. Tickets are $5 and are available through townhall.strangertickets.com. Use the code “twoqueer” for two free tickets! Tickets will also be available at the door. Be sure to arrive early! This event will kick off with a Resource Fair from 2:003:00pm featuring LGBTQ community groups and family organizations. Resource Fair participants include: Gay City, The Seattle Lesbian, COLAGE, OUT There Adventures, MAIA, Midwifery & Fertility Services, Camp Ten Trees, Lambert House, Coyote Central, Diverse Harmony, QLaw, Justice & Equality Legal Services, PFLAG, Plymouth Church, and Seattle Gay News. From 3:00-4:30pm, a Panel Discussion on Queer Parenting will be held. Our panelists include Mac McGregor, our first out transgender candidate for Seattle City Council in 2017; Reverend Steven Davis, an openly gay minister with the Plymouth Church and a father of four; Courtney Faria,
the Western Region Program Manager of COLAGE, the only national organization by and for people with one or more LGBTQ parents, guardians, or caregivers; and Sarah Toce, partnered lesbian mom who is the founder of The Seattle Lesbian. NOTE: Childcare is being offered at
this event, complimentary. If you would like to take advantage, email patronservices@townhallseattle.org with the number and ages of children that will need care.
This event is presented by Town Hall Seattle in conjunction with Gay City, The Seattle Lesbian, and Plymouth Church.
Pramila Jayapal, Maxine Waters unite community at re-election kick-off by SGN Staff Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA 7th District) was joined at FareStart Restaurant on Tuesday, September 19 by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA 43rd District). The evening had a two-fold purpose consisting of a re-election kick-off campaign event for Jayapal and an invitation to Waters to join the Washington state community in honoring local heroes. The inaugural “Build Our America” event was attended by over 100 community members. Ticket prices for the gathering ran the gamut between $100 and $5,400. The description of the event on the ticket link boasted, “Together, we’ll honor incredible people and organizations that are trailblazers helping to Build Our America.” They did indeed. Distinguished honorees ranged from a local high school student making waves for her work in environmental initiatives (Jamie Margolin) and Chair of the Urban Native Education Alliance (UNEA) Sarah SenseWilson to the award-winning publisher of Seattle’s only lesbian-owned newspaper, The Seattle Lesbian (Sarah Toce). During the event, Jayapal proposed: “If you want a bold, strong, progressive who is unafraid to challenge racism, sexism and classism; if you want to support someone who can help lead not only the opposition but also lead our proposition for the kind of country we want to be – I’d love your support!”
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Videos of both congresswomen played throughout the speech portion of the event and highlighted their fierce dedication to anti-Trump legislation. Waters, perhaps most known of late for her “I’m reclaiming my time” sound bite, took the opportunity to tell women – and everyone else in the room – to reclaim their power. Waters and Jayapal both took to the floor the day Trump’s election results were certified, prompting former VP Joe Biden to exclaim, “It’s over.” Waters took time to quote Maya Angelou during her address. “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,” she said. She was, of course, referencing Trump’s track record regarding discrimination and classism. Former Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (and former King County Executive) Ron Sims attended the event, as well as other elected officials and prospects, including Teresa Mosqueda, who is currently running for Seattle City Council Pos. 8. At the end of the successful evening, Waters, Sims and over 100 guests joined in singing “Happy Birthday” to Jayapal while a cake with her campaign logo came out from the kitchen. The stars of the show were undoubtedly Jayapal and Waters – and the four women they lifted up and honored as community builders. We look forward to seeing their progression in the years ahead.
October 6, 2017
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Rainbow flag to be dedicated on October 11, at Stonewall National Monument on Manhattan’s Christopher Street New York ceremony marks first time that the international LGBT symbol will be displayed permanently on federal land
Photo by Ludovic Bertron
Photo by Walk About NY
NEW YORK – The Rainbow Flag, the international symbol of LGBT liberation and pride, will be unveiled in a special ceremony on Wednesday, October 11, at 12 noon at the historic Stonewall National Monument, where, thanks to the efforts of activists, it will claim a permanent home. This historic event marks the first time that the LGBT flag will wave over federally funded land, under the permanent stewardship of the National Park Service. The Stonewall National Monument is located in Christopher Street Park in New York’s Greenwich Village. The park is on the corner of Christopher Street and 7th Avenue South. The event will be emceed by Gay USA television co-host Ann Northrop. Performers will include Telly Leung, who plays the title role in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway and Cantor Steve Zeidenberg of Congre-
gation Beit Simchat Torah. Speakers will include Leslie Cagan, an organizer of the 1987 March on Washington for LGBT Rights; the National Park Service’s Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Visitor Services Barbara Applebaum; Kiara St. James, Executive Director of New York Transgender Advocacy Group; and LGBT and AIDS activist Michael Petrelis, who spearheaded this initiative. “It is a victory for our community to have these symbolic colors flying majestically over our Stonewall, designated as a national monument by President Obama, even as our LGBTQ brothers and sisters are under attack by the current regime in power,” said Petrelis. He went on to say, “As we gather today, we are reminded of another October 11, thirty years ago, when the names of fallen comrades were symbolically celebrated on another national monu-
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The Stonewall Inn – Photo by Johannes Jordan
ment – the AIDS Quilt – during the reign of another president who waged an attack against us.” October 11 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the historic 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian Gay Rights, when the NAMES Project AIDS Quilt was unfurled on the National Mall. The date also marks the annual National Coming Out Day, a day celebrating the idea that all members of the LGBTQ community should be able to live their lives openly, honestly, and with pride. The flag, which was originally designed by the late artist and activist Gilbert Baker, consists of six stripes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The flag is typically flown horizontally, with the red stripe on top, as would appear in a natural rainbow. Support for the ceremony is being generously provided by Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Broadway Cares/
Equity Fights AIDS helps men, women, and children across the country and across the street receive life-saving medications, health care, nutritious meals, counseling, and emergency financial assistance (broadwaycares.org). Gilbert Baker died in New York City on March 31 at the age of 65. Memorials to the internationally known activist were held across the globe in subsequent weeks. The Stonewall Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Courtesy of Michael Petrelis
Celebrating 43 Years!
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Honolulu celebrates Pride 2017 Honolulu Pride™ Parade + Festival will be Saturday, October 21. The parade kicks off at 11am with a route along Kalakaua Avenue through Waikiki. Festival gates at the Waikiki Shell entrance open at 11:30am. The Festival will wrap up at 6pm. Each year the Honolulu Pride™ Parade + Festival brings together Hawaii’s diverse LGBT community, friends, families and allies. Generally with two weeks of related events, there are events of interest to everyone in the community. Events range from educational at University of Hawaii, to pool parties at trendy Waikiki hotels and shopping events at Ala Moana Center. For approximately three weeks, rainbow flags fly over Waikiki, Oahu’s tourist district and the parade route. The parade generally draws over 20,000 spectators as it passes through the city and alongside Waikiki Beach. Over 3,000 festival goers attended the 2016 Pride Festival at Diamond Head Greens, and more than 45 groups, from LGBTQ-owned businesses, community organizations and food and drink vendors had booths at the 2016 festival. For this year’s event line up visit: http:// hawaiilgbtlegacyfoundation.com/2017honolulu-pride-events
Honolulu Pride Parade – Photo courtesy of the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation
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Lambda Legal urges full 2nd Circuit to protect LGBT people from discrimination at work NEW YORK – [On September 26], Lambda Legal argued before the full US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, supporting the estate of Donald Zarda, a New York skydiving instructor who was fired from his job because he was Gay. In today’s hearing, Lambda Legal urged the 2nd Circuit to re-examine two of its precedents and argued that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination, which is already prohibited under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act. Several federal trial courts, the 7th Circuit and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which also argued today, agree: employers cannot discriminate against employees based on gender stereotypes about who men and women should be attracted to, date, or marry. “No one should be fired, forced from their job, or passed over for promotions because they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The 2nd Circuit can help fix this,” said Greg Nevins, Employment Fairness Project Director for Lambda Legal, who argued the case today. “We are hopeful that the 2nd Circuit takes this rare opportunity to rehear this case and correct and clarify its outdated precedents.” “The momentum towards establishing once and for all that LGBT people are able to work without repercussions for who they are or whom they love would be overwhelming if the 2nd Circuit joins the 7th Circuit in affirming that the Civil Rights Act protects LGBT employees,” said
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continued from cover based on gender identity, including transgender status.” Obama’s attorney general, Eric Holder, established that rule in a 2014 memo. Current DOJ spokesperson Devin O’Malley said the Obama administration was at fault for finding Transgender protections in Title VII in the first place. “The Department of Justice cannot expand the law beyond what Congress has provided,” O’Malley said. “Unfortunately, the last administration abandoned that fundamental principle, which necessitated today’s action. This department remains committed to protecting the civil and constitutional rights of all individuals, and will continue to enforce
Lambda Legal CEO Rachel B. Tiven. In a landmark case very similar to the one before the 2nd Circuit today, the full 7th Circuit in April overruled several of its precedents and held that the Civil Rights Act does cover sexual orientation. In March, the 11th Circuit reached the opposite conclusion, and earlier this month Lambda Legal appealed that case to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court petition concerns Jameka Evans, a Savannah, Ga., security guard who was harassed at work and forced out of her job because she is a Lesbian. It seeks a nationwide ruling that sexual orientation discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In addition to Lambda Legal and the EEOC, the Department of Justice argued – in opposition to civil rights coverage – in today’s Zarda case. “With circuit courts already split, and different federal agencies weighing in on opposite sides,” Tiven commented, “today’s argument for Donald Zarda might well have been a dress rehearsal for the Supreme Court argument for Jameka Evans.”
him because of his sexual orientation. The district court that refused to let him proceed with his claim that Title VII protects him as a Gay man. Tragically, in October 2014, Zarda died in a base-jumping accident in Switzerland and he missed the start of his trial. He is survived by his sister, Melissa, and former partner, William, the executors of his estate. In January 2017, Gregory Antollino argued an appeal on behalf of Zarda’s estate, asking a three-judge panel of the 2nd
heard from the EEOC and Lambda Legal when considering Title VII’s coverage of sexual orientation discrimination. Gregory R. Nevins, Sharon McGowan, and Omar Gonzalez-Pagan are handling this matter for Lambda Legal. They are joined by Attorney Michael D.B. Kavey. The case is Zarda v. Altitude Express. The Zarda case is about discrimination based on sexual orientation, but it is important for Transgender people’s rights as well. Lambda Legal has litigated employment
“No one should be fired, forced from their job, or passed over for promotions because they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The 2nd Circuit can help fix this.”
Background: In September 2010, Donald Zarda, a skydiver, filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the Eastern District of New York against his former employer, Altitude Express, Inc., claiming that the company violated Title VII by discriminating against
Circuit to revisit its precedent and hold that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination and therefore illegal under Title VII. Lambda Legal supported his effort with a friend-of-the-court brief. In April 2017, after the three-judge panel denied Zarda’s claim, Antollino, with a substantial contribution from Lambda Legal, successfully petitioned the entire 2nd Circuit to rehear the case – only the third en banc review the court has granted since January 2011. Last month, the court ordered that Lambda Legal present oral argument, keeping with other federal appellate courts that have
discrimination cases for Transgender as well as Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual people, and the arguments in favor of sexual orientation coverage under Title VII are built upon the victories won by Transgender people in cases like Glenn v. Brumby. More information about Lambda Legal’s work on employment protections is available here: http://www.lambdalegal. org/issues/employment-and-rights-in-theworkplace
the numerous laws that Congress has enacted that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.” The October 4 memo is consistent Sessions’ narrow reading of Title VII. In September the DOJ argued before the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals that Congress never intended Title VII to cover sexual orientation. Sessions’ position also conflicts with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency charged with enforcing workplace nondiscrimination protections. In 2012 the EEOC ruled in Macy v. Holder that Title VII covers discrimination against Transgender workers. Christine Nazer, an EEOC spokesperson, said the agency has received the Sessions memo and is “reviewing it” but would not comment on the substance of the
new DOJ memo. Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) said in a statement the Trump administration is “determined to promote discrimination through a false view of the law that has been rejected again and again by the courts.” “The attorney general does not get to make law, but he should at least read it,” Keisling said. “Simply: He is once again abdicating his responsibilities to enforce the law. Courts have repeatedly ruled that transgender people are protected by sex discrimination laws in employment, education, housing, and health care. We’ll see him in court.” James Esseks, director of the ACLU’s LGBT and HIV Project, said the DOJ memo “marks another low point” for the Sessions Justice Department.
“Discrimination against transgender people is sex discrimination, just as DOJ recognized years ago,” Esseks said in a statement. “We are confident that the courts will continue to agree and will reject the politically driven decision by Attorney General Sessions.” Joel Kasnetz, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, also condemned the move as an attack on LGBT people. “By reinterpreting our employment laws to try to stop protecting transgender people from discrimination, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and Jeff Sessions have revealed their real goal: turn the clock back to a time when life was even more difficult for LGBTQ people, transgender individuals in particular,” Kasnetz said.
Courtesy of Lambda Legal
Senate urged to press Brownback to clarify remarks on religious persecution of LGBT people WASHINGTON, DC – Human Rights First today expressed concern over Gov. Sam Brownback’s (R-Kan.) failure to unequivocally state that it is not acceptable to imprison or execute a person based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Brownback’s remarks occurred during yesterday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his appointment to be ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. In his testimony, Brownback avoided answering a direct question as to whether there could be a circumstance in which imprisoning or executing LGBT people would be acceptable when justified by religious motivations. Human Rights First urges the Senate to call on Brownback to directly answer the question and affirm that as ambassador-at-large he would be committed to protecting the rights of all communities, including the LGBT community. “As representative of the United States on international religious freedom, it would
be Gov. Brownback’s responsibility to promote tolerance and denounce persecution based on religious belief,” said Human Rights First’s Shawn Gaylord. “Yesterday’s answer showed that he is not up to that task. When asked whether it is acceptable to detain or execute LGBT people based on religious motivations, the United States should always clearly and resolutely answer, ‘No.’” The question came during a tense exchange between Brownback and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). When asked, “Is there any circumstance under which religious freedom can justify criminalizing, imprisoning, or executing somebody based on their LGBT status could be deemed acceptable [sic] because somebody asserts they are religiously motivated in doing so?” Brownback answered, “I don’t know what that would be, in what circumstance, but I would continue the policies that have been done in the prior administration, and working on these international issues.” Kaine
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voiced his displeasure with the answer, saying, “I really would expect an unequivocal answer on that.” Yesterday’s hearing follows a controversy over the US delegation to the United Nations voting against a resolution condemning the death penalty. The resolution noted in its preamble that capital punishment can be used against people engaged in “same-sex relations.” State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert clarified the US government’s official position after the vote, saying, “The United States unequivocally condemns the application of the death penalty for conduct such as homosexuality, blasphemy, adultery, and apostasy. We do not consider such conduct appropriate for criminalization.” Human Rights First notes that despite Gov. Brownback’s poor answer regarding possible persecution of LGBT communities, his testimony indicated that he intends to protect all religious communities, no matter their beliefs. The organization
intends to hold Brownback to this commitment given his track record as governor of Kansas, where he signed into law so-called “anti-sharia” legislation, which is rooted in hateful conspiracy theories that demonize Muslims. “The governor testifying that he is willing to fight for the rights of all religious communities, including Muslim communities, is a welcome step, especially considering his tenure in Kansas. But one does not excuse the other. The Senate should find out whether Brownback truly believes that religious belief can never make persecution of LGBT communities acceptable,” added Gaylord. For more information or to speak with Gaylord, contact Christopher Plummer at PlummerC@humanrightsfirst.org or 202-370-3310.
October 6, 2017
Seattle Gay News 17
Courtesy of Human Rights First
California Gov. Jerry Brown signs “Bill of Rights” for LGBTQ Seniors in Long-Term Care SACRAMENTO – California Gov. Jerry Brown today signed a bill that creates a “bill of rights” for LGBTQ seniors in long-term care. Senate Bill (SB) 219, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Equality California, will help protect seniors from discrimination or mistreatment in longterm care facilities. “Our LGBT seniors built the modern LGBT community and led the fight for so many of the rights our community takes for granted today,” said Sen. Wiener. “It is our duty to make sure they can age with the dignity and respect they deserve. I want to thank Gov. Brown for joining our coalition in supporting this bill, which will make a real difference in people’s lives. The LGBT Senior Bill of Rights is an important step in our fight to ensure all people are treated equally regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” In a 2011 study of LGBTQ seniors and family members released by the National Senior Citizens Law Center, 43% had either been abused by caretakers themselves or witnessed that abuse. This incidence of maltreatment is likely far higher, as many cases of discrimination go undocumented. This abuse can take many forms, including
being turned away or evicted from a longterm care facility based on sexual orientation or gender identity. After a lifetime of bullying by schoolmates, co-workers, and society at large, some LGBTQ seniors are forced to share a room with homophobic or transphobic companions. Same-sex couples are sometimes separated. “LGBTQ seniors fought some of the first and most difficult battles for LGBTQ civil rights and deserve our protection,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “Many of our elders have no children or other family members to care for them and are especially vulnerable to abuse or neglect in long-term care. SB 219 will help ensure that care facilities provide culturally competent care.” SB 219 strengthens protections for LGBTQ seniors living in long-term care facilities against discrimination, such as refusing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronoun, denying admission to a long-term care facility, transferring a resident within a facility or to another facility based on the anti-LGBT attitudes of other residents, or evicting or involuntarily discharging a resident from a facility on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status.
Photo by Portra Images via Getty Images
SB 219 was sponsored by Equality California and supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, APLA Health, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Justice in Aging, FORGE, the California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the National Center
for Lesbian Rights, the National Center for Transgender Equality, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, the Source LGBT + Center, and the Transgender Law Center.
Legal advocates will appeal to Supreme Court after full 5th Circuit denies challenge to antiLGBT Mississippi law JACKSON, MISS. – Mississippi civil rights attorney Rob McDuff, along with Mississippi Center for Justice and Lambda Legal, today announced they will appeal to the US Supreme Court after the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit denied their en banc petition asking the full court to rehear the case challenging Mississippi House Bill (HB) 1523, one of the most antiLGBT laws in the country. Joining them for the appeal to the Supreme Court are former US Solicitor General Don Verrilli and attorney Paul Smith, who co-counseled with Lambda and argued the landmark case of Lawrence v. Texas, which declared laws criminalizing same-sex relationships to be unconstitutional. “We are appealing to our nation’s highest court to make sure that attempts by state legislatures to defy the law of the land and trample the rights of LGBT people are blocked for good,” said Susan Sommer, Director of Constitutional Litigation at Lambda Legal. “Mississippi’s HB 1523 creates a toxic environment of fear and prejudice. Along with other anti-LGBT laws across the country, like those in North Carolina and Texas, these laws are a pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing, dressing up discrimination and calling it religious freedom.” “This is an unfair and unconstitutional law, and we are taking our claim to the Supreme Court,” said Mississippi civil rights attorney Rob McDuff. “People should not have to live through discrimination in order to challenge it.” “We are heading to the Supreme Court
to demand access to justice. LGBT Mississippians should not have to endure even more profound discrimination before they can ask the court to put a stop to it,” said Beth Orlansky, advocacy director for the Mississippi Center for Justice. “Our plaintiffs have already seen the ill effects of HB 1523 without it even taking effect, and they should get their day in court.” HB 1523 sets forth a list of discriminatory actions that certain individuals and entities could take against Mississippians based on religious and so-called “moral” objections to the existence of Transgender people, marriages of same-sex couples, and nonmarital sexual relationships, with-
to go into effect. On July 6, the plaintiffs petitioned the full 5th Circuit to rehear the case, and on Friday, the court denied that request, with two judges dissenting. In his dissenting opinion, Circuit Judge James Dennis castigated the 5th Circuit for “abdicat[ing] its mandate to decide the substantive claims raised by the plaintiffs.” His opinion explains how the June 22nd panel decision “falls into grievous error, unjustifiably creates a split [in the] circuits, and rejects pertinent Supreme Court teachings,” denying Mississippi residents “a forum in which to challenge the evils against which the Establishment Clause was designed to protect.’” This split in the circuits creates strong grounds for Supreme Court review. The 12 individuals and the church that are plaintiffs in Barber v. Bryant are a cross-section of Mississippians harmed by HB 1523: clergy, LGBT residents, community leaders, and activists. The lawsuit argues that HB 1523 violates the Establishment and Equal Protection Clauses of the US Constitution.
“We are appealing to our nation’s highest court to make sure that attempts by state legislatures to defy the law of the land and trample the rights of LGBT people are blocked for good.”
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out consequence from the state. The law was enacted in April 2016 in defiance of the US Supreme Court’s decision granting marriage for same-sex couples nationwide. Last June, US District Court Judge Carlton Reeves of Jackson issued a preliminary injunction preventing HB 1523 from taking effect. Overruling the lower court decision, a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit on June 22, 2017, reversed the injunction blocking the law and held that the plaintiffs lack standing because they cannot claim a specific harm caused by the law that has yet
October 6, 2017
Background: Advocates filed two lawsuits arguing that HB 1523 violated the US Constitution – Barber v. Bryant, brought by McDuff and the Mississippi Center for Justice on behalf of 12 individual plaintiffs and the Joshua Generation Metropolitan Community Church; and Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE) v. Bryant, brought by attorney Roberta Kaplan on behalf of CSE and
one individual plaintiff. The two cases were consolidated for the preliminary injunction proceedings before US District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves, who agreed with the plaintiffs’ arguments and blocked HB 1523 from taking effect. Lambda Legal joined as co-counsel for the Barber plaintiffs on appeal. The plaintiffs in Barber v. Bryant include longtime civil rights advocates Rims Barber and Carol Burnett, who are ordained ministers; retired Millsaps Chaplain Don Fortenberry, also an ordained minister; the Joshua Generation Metropolitan Community Church in Hattiesburg, its Pastor Brandiilyne Magnum-Dear, and its Director of Worship Susan Magnum; Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson; Founding Director Susan Glisson of the Winter Institute at the University of Mississippi; longtime therapist and activist Joan Bailey, and community activists Dorothy Triplett, Renick Taylor, and Anthony Laine Boyette. The case is Barber v. Bryant. Read the Frequently Asked Questions on HB 1523: https://www.lambdalegal.org/ ms-faq Susan Sommer, Director of Constitutional Litigation, and Beth Littrell, Counsel, are handling the case for Lambda Legal, joining Robert McDuff of the Law Offices of Robert McDuff, and Beth L. Orlansky of the Mississippi Center for Justice. Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., Ginger Anders, and Adele El-Khoury of Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP, and Paul Smith are joining as counsel for the Supreme Court appeal. Courtesy of Lambda Legal
Celebrating 43 Years!
Jayapal and Smith team up to reform immigration prisons by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Seattle’s two members of Congress, Pramila Jayapal (D-7) and Adam Smith (D-9), have teamed up to sponsor a bill aimed at reforming the way the US handles immigrant detainees. Their 1st District colleague Suzan DelBene is a co-sponsor on the bill. The legislation would prohibit the use of for-profit private detention centers like the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, run by the GEO Group. GEO runs private detention centers in a number of countries, but its contracts with the US government account for 45% of its annual $1.6 billion of revenue. The proposed legislation would also abolish mandatory detention, “a policy that often results in arbitrary and indefinite detention,” Jayapal and Smith say in an October 3 statement. To correct the persistent failures of due process, the legislation requires the government to show probable cause to detain people, and it implements a special rule for primary caregivers and vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and people with serious medical and mental health issues. In addition, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish legally enforceable civil detention standards in line with those adopted by the American Bar Association. “The high moral cost of our inhumane immigration detention system is reprehen-
Outside NWDC – Photo by Seattle Globalist
sible. Large, private corporations operating detention centers are profiting off the suffering of men, women, and children. We need an overhaul,” said Rep. Jayapal. “It’s clear that the Trump administration is dismantling the few protections in place for detained immigrants even as he ramps up enforcement against parents and vulnerable populations. This bill addresses the most egregious problems with our immigration detention system. It’s Congress’s responsibility to step up and pass this bill.” “We must fix the injustices in our broken immigration detention system,” Smith added. “As the Trump administration continues to push a misguided and dangerous immigration agenda, we need to ensure fair treatment and due process for immigrants and refugees faced with detention. This legislation will address some of the worst failings of our immigration policy, and restore integrity and humanity to immigration proceedings.” In addition to Jayapal, Smith, and DelBene, 39 other Democrats have signed on to the measure, including House Judiciary Committee ranking member John Conyers of Michigan. A number of human rights organizations have also endorsed the bill, including the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and OneAmerica, the immigrant rights group Jayapal founded soon after 9/11.
Lulu Meet Midnight Millie, a sweet 4-year-old black and white kitty! She’s a beautiful girl with lots of soft fur and dazzling green eyes. Midnight Millie loves affection of all kinds but especially loves being scratched under her chin. When you find the right spot she’ll absolutely melt under your touch. She also purrs with pure delight. Midnight Mille will do best as the only furry companion in the home so she can focus all of her love on her human friends. Come by Seattle Humane today and meet Midnight Mille. She can’t wait to be your purr-fect friend!
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
As with all of our cats, Midnight Millie 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!
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Meet Percy, a 2-year-old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix. This gentle pup has a heart of gold, walks great on leash, and has the cutest spotted tongue. As your loyal and energetic best friend, Percy will love exploring the great outdoors with you and will proudly patrol your home with his keen Shepherd senses. Come meet this unique boy today at Seattle Humane!
Make your house a home by visiting the shelter
Shelter updates: Oct. 7 | 5:30-9:30 PM | Green Lake Park This year’s WALK received a fun makeover! Save the date - Oct. 7 at Green Lake for GLOW IN THE PARK - an evening dog walk to benefit our Disaster and Life-Saver Rescue funds. These programs transfer in at-risk animals from local shelters and beyond, like Texas, to safety at Seattle Humane. We’ll have adoptable pets, music, food trucks, and glow in the dark surprises! Adoption specials: Oct. 6-8 | Find your missing piece! Dogs keep our laps warm, neighborhoods explored, faces licked and hearts fulfilled. They make up a special part of each family’s elaborate puzzle! Looking for your perfect match? Find your missing puzzle piece this weekend at Seattle Humane. Adopters can take $25 off adoption fees for dogs 1 year and up! Take advantage of this doggone-great deal Oct. 6-8.
Visit us online www.sgn.org
As with all of our dogs, Percy is neutered, micro-chipped, 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! Introduce to children 14 years and older. Resident dogs are required to visit Percy prior to adoption. Percy would do best in a cat-free home. Please see our adoption advisors for additional behavior information.
October 6, 2017
Seattle Gay News 19
ON NOVEMBER 4, 2017 Take To The Streets And Public Squares in cities and towns across the country continuing day after day and night after night—not stopping—until our DEMAND is met:
This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go! In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America! A Nightmare: Immigrants living in terror—their next step could mean detention, deportation, being torn from children and loved ones. A Nightmare: Muslims and refugees demonized, banned and cast out. A Nightmare: Millions—children, the elderly, the sick, the poor— denied healthcare, food assistance, the very right to live. A Nightmare: Women objectified, degraded, and denied the basic right to control their own reproduction with fundamentalist Christian fascism increasingly being made law.
ON NOVEMBER 4, 2017: We will gather in the streets and public squares of cities and towns across this country, at first many thousands declaring that this whole regime is illegitimate and that we will not stop until our single demand is met: This Nightmare Must End: the Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!
A Nightmare: People all over the world facing bombings, occupations, war and the threat of nuclear war with Donald Trump’s “America First” finger on the nuclear trigger.
Our protest must grow day after day and night after night—thousands becoming hundreds of thousands, and then millions—determined to act to put a stop to the grave danger that the Trump/Pence Regime poses to the world by demanding that this whole regime be removed from power.
A Nightmare: The truth bludgeoned—lies and more lies—critical thinking being destroyed in education and public discourse.
Our actions will reflect the values of respect for all of humanity and the world we want—in stark contrast to the hate and bigotry of the Trump/Pence fascist regime.
A Nightmare: The whole planet in peril from a regime that denies global warming and shreds all environmental protections.
Our determination to persist and not back down will compel the whole world to take note. Every force and faction in the power structure would be forced to respond to our demand. The cracks and divisions among the powers already evident today will sharpen and widen. As we draw more and more people forward to stand up, all of this could lead to a situation where this illegitimate regime is removed from power.
A Nightmare: LGBTQ people stigmatized, ostracized, and denied civil rights recently won. A Nightmare: Black and Latino people openly threatened by the President, with maximum sentencing, stop-and-frisk going national, intensified police brutality and murder of our youth with no holds barred.
A Nightmare: A regime step by step discarding basic democratic rights, targeting group after group and suppressing dissent and resistance. A regime unleashing the violence of fascist thugs. This is fascism—a qualitative change in how society is governed. History has shown that fascism must be stopped before it becomes too late. THIS NIGHTMARE MUST END. Millions feel this and ache with the question of how to stop this unrelenting horror. The stakes are nothing less than the future of humanity and the planet itself.
Who will end this nightmare? We will. Only the determined struggle of millions of people acting together with courage and conviction can drive this regime from power.
NO! 20 Seattle Gay News
Spread the word and organize now. Be a part of making history. Don’t let it be said that you stood aside when there was still a chance to stop a regime that imperils humanity and the Earth itself. Join in taking to the streets and the public squares day after day and night after night demonstrating that In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America. On November 4, 2017, we will stand together with conviction and courage, overcoming fear and uncertainty, to insist that: This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must GO!
In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America!
THIS NIGHTMARE MUST END: THE TRUMP/PENCE REGIME MUST GO! refusefascism.org October 6, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
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Seattle Gay News 21
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22 Seattle Gay News
October 6, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
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October 6, 2017
Seattle Gay News 23
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